History
In the Spring of 2006, Wild Spirit began looking for one or two wolf pups to come to the Sanctuary and be socialized in the hopes that they would become ambassadors. Arrangements were made, and in May, the Cougar Family made the trip up to Oregon to pick up a litter of six arctic wolf pups. A week or so after, a friend called to see if we were interested in more ambassadors. We explained that we had our hands full already, but in a few days, a staff member who decided to leave WSWS, called back saying that he would like this litter to start a new facility in Ohio. A litter of 8 timber-arctic crosses had been born in Oregon to a man who did not know what to do with them. He ended up selling three, and one buyer agreed to transport the other 5 to Arizona, where a volunteer at Wild Spirit would go pick them up. The Sanctuary had agreed to house them for the previous staff member while he made arrangements to come get the new arrivals. Unfortunately, placement fell through, and Wild Spirit ended up deciding to keep the litter including Sassy, Savannah, Forest, Dakota, and Brutus. For ease, we typically refer to the group as the "timber pups" even though their father was an Arctic wolf.
How Can I Help Brutus?
It takes fifteen sponsors to provide the basic care for each of our wolves and wolf-dogs for an entire year. This does not include the cost of medication, vet visits, enclosures repairs, or enrichment treats.
Profile
Bio: Brutus' mother was a Timber wolf, and his father was an Arctic wolf. He has four siblings living at the Sanctuary: Dakota, Forest, Sassy, and Savannah.
Living Arrangements: Brutus lives with a wolf-dog named Skye.
Am I On the Tour Path? "Yes, and I love to run down to the fence to greet tours, especially if the tour guide has treats!"
Personality: Brutus looks intimidating, but he is actually a big softie. He becomes nervous around loud noises and certain men, but when he is comfortable, watch out! His large size and exuberant personality makes him a handful. He wants nothing more in the world than to receive love and attention. Brutus acts like a tough guy around his canine neighbors, and together with Skye, the two diligently protect their territory.
Likes: Crawling into his caretaker's lap, female volunteers talking in a squeaky voice, and fence-fighting with neighbors (he lost the tip of his ear after one such argument).
Dislikes: Men with deep voices, Skye pushing him away from his caretaker, and his neighbors getting attention.
Fun Fact: Most of the time when people see Brutus, it looks like he is snarling. In fact, he just has a snaggle tooth! His bottom canine catches on his lip, making it look like he is showing his teeth. It doesn't seem to bother him.
My Wishlist: "Sometimes for photo tours, I will be brought down to our one-acre enclosure for photographs. Other times, I will be brought there to have fun romping with my brother, Forest. It is a beautiful enclosure, but do you know what would make it better? If someone donated New Mexico wildflower seeds to plant around the enclosure. Then in summer, it would be in full bloom!"
