Why is Education so Important?
There possibly is not an animal more misunderstood than the wolf. Two schools of thought reign supreme: wolves are vicious killing-machines or are nothing more than a large German Shepherd. Both could not be further than the truth. Wolves are gentle, shy animals that care for one another but thrive best in the wild, not in a domestic situation. These misconceptions cause too many of these animals to be destroyed. Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary strives to teach the public about the real wolf - an animal that deserves our respect.
Wild Spirit feels that it is important to educate the public, especially children, on three major issues about wolves:
- The wolf pack and their family structure
- Wolves are not the evil, scary vicious creatures portrayed in the media
- Wolves and wild animals are not pets
The Big Bad Wolf
"Little Red Riding Hood", "The Boy Who Cried Wolf", "The Three Little Pigs", "The Wolf and the Seven Young Kids"...the list is endless and they all share something in common - the portrayal of an evil wolf. These fables have been carried over from Europe, and still today children grow up on these stories. It is no surprise that adults have such a fear of these creatures! The media has only helped to instigate this image of wolves as blood-thirsty hunters.
Wolves are truly a timid, family-oriented animal. Wolves do not attack humans, and instead, naturally avoid them whenever possible. There is so much more interesting and appealing information about the wolf that is all too often masked by the misconceptions the media offers.
Wolves as Pets
Unfortunately, the other misconception people often hold about wolves is that they are no different that the domestic dog. Many believe that wolves are simply wild dogs, and that if raised in a domestic environment, they will act like domestic dogs when they mature. Too many people learn the truth the hard way after having to give up their wolves or see them get euthanized. Wolves and dogs act very differently no matter how they are raised.
- Wolves are difficult to socialize and often remain very fearful of humans even if raised around them.
- Wolves have no urge to please humans, and thus are difficult, if not impossible, to train under most circumstances.
- Wolves have certain ritualized behaviors that can be very dangerous to people, especially small children.
- Wolves are escape artists and can be very hard to contain.
- Wolves have an exploratory nature that causes them to be very destructive.