wild spirit wolf sanctuary

This was our second visit with the purpose of showing wolves to a grandchild. All in all, it was worth the admission price. Be advised, the first trip was in summer, I would strongly advise against it due to the smell. This trip, a few days ago, was more pleasant. The guide was intent on "I" stories about her varied experiences as a volunteer for various wild life shelters. Could have done without her resume. What bothered me most was that I had questions about gestation times, sizes of litters, when breeding occurs, and was told not to worry, it would be covered later. Never was.

I have visited Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary (WSWS) twice. WSWS is a 501(3)c non-profit organization with the purpose of rescuing wolves and wolf-dogs from the pet trade and private ownership, as well as educating the larger public that wild animals of any kind are not pets and should not be pets. As a non-profit in a very rural & primitive area, the facilities should not be judged harshly. There is a main log hogan, which houses the store/gift shop and some offices. There are cabins available for nightly rental. There are tent camping sites available, as well as dry RV pull-thrus.Yes, the wolves reside in habitats, behind fencing, but as all of the animals have a past with human contact, they cannot be released in the wild. The habitats are as large as the group managing WSWS can build with donations received and on the 90 acre property. There is an option for a photography "tour" that allows visitors an up-close and personal photography experience with the wolves (I have not done this yet!).The volunteer staff that runs WSWS is very passionate about the animals and the job they do. I believe it is worth the scenic, and sometimes bumpy drive, at least once.

Knowing that New Mexico is home to "Los Lobos" I knew I just had to see a wolf or coyote. I found a brochure for Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary and knew that it was exactly what I was looking for. The drive from ABQ was about 2hrs and it was absolutely worth it! Our tour guide Ray was extremely knowledgable, passionate and intriguing. We were able to get reasonably close enough to the canines to take fabulous pictures (however all precautions for our and the animals safety was always ensured). The hour tour was informative and unique and made for a really special opportunity. A definite must if you're ever in the ABQ area!!!

Learned about how wolves and wolf dogs are mistreated. Very good sanctuary. The curator was very friendly and informative. The guide was HOT!

Took the guided tour $7 each. Learnt about the different types of wolves and wolf dogs at the sanctuary. Guide was very informative. Started a wolf howling, which started them all off. It was really eerie but beautiful and musical as well. Nice to see the animals treated well and respectfully, not as entertainment only. If you are a wolf or animal lover, this will be a highlight of your holiday.

Not much else to say other than I agree with all the other reviews. Fantastic place to visit. About 2-2.5 hrs away from Albuquerque. Road was not clearly marked until you got really close so make sure you know where the turn off is. I would also suggest either wearing long pants/sleeves, or bringing bug repellent as there were plenty of mosquitoes during our visit in mid-Aug.

The Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary is a very interesting sanctuary. It is a rescue, sanctuary and education facility. The rescue wolves and wolf dogs that people and breeders thought would be good pets but learned that they did not make good pets.Currently, there are 11 wolves and 69 wolf dogs at the sanctuary. They are well cared for and are in very large clean enclosures with fresh water and.shade. They are usually two to an enclosure. This is their "for ever home now" and can live their lives naturally without fear of the unknown.The facility has 2 to 3 of the wolves who are used for education. They go to schools, service organizations and other presentations to show people the wolves, give them an opportunity to pet then and learn more about the animals,there habits and how they live in nature.The tour is conducted by a volunteer and takes 1 1/2 to 2 hours. You visit the animals learns about their habits, how they are cared for and sometimes the poor conditions they were rescued from. The guides/volunteers are all very caring about the animals,.Right now they also have New Guine Singing Dogs, Coyotes. Dingos and a Fox, all rescues from a unsatisfactory situations. After the tour we experiences the wolves howling, the whole sanctuary was howling. What an AWESOME experience!There is an opportunity to adopt one of the animals if you wish. The website is Wild Slpirity Wolf Sanctuary.comj and very nice site.It is located SW of Albuquerque and Gallup, New Mexico, close to the Zuni Indian Reservation. They also have camping sight and cabins to rent at the sight.

I had been wanting to visit the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary for over a year. My family and I spent two nights in the cabin on property. Hearing the wolves howl at night was amazing. We took the general tour which was very informative and educational. A great experience for only $7. We also did the feeding tour and got to toss food to select wolves on the tour. This was thrilling!!! Our guide was very patient with us and took the time to answer all our questions. We than participated in an ambassador tour with Flurry. This amazing gentle creature allowed us to get up close and pet him. During this part of our experience the wolves began to howl and communicate. Flurry howled to his pack right in front of us. The next segment was a private photo tour where you are escorted inside several wolf enclosures to meet and greet some wolves or wolf dogs. What a golden opportunity. I was so touched by this experience I will never forget it!!! The entire team at Wild Spirit was beyond friendly. They are knowledgable and informed. It truly shows in everything they do how passionate they are about the wolves and their mission. I can't wait to return. In the meantime, I encourage you to support and visit this remarkable place. Denise K. Phoenix AZ

My family and I visited the Wild Spirit Sanctuary in June 2013. All my children love animals, especially my 8 yr old son. He has so much love and compassion for animals that I knew he would appreciate this place. He truly did and so did his family. He went for the wolves and had his heart melted with a fox named Romeo. He brought back a stuffed animal fox and named him Romeo, of course. He carries him everywhere along with his wonderful memory of visiting this special sanctuary. Our guide was great, extremely informed and took her time educating us on these beautiful wolves and the sanctuary's mission to help them. She answered every question my kids had and they had a lot of questions. Gina, who was working at the gift shop that day, treated us like old friends. Great family experience!

If you have ever seen a wolf, this is the place where to start. The people at this sanctuary for wolves will make sure you'll have a wonderful experience by informing you about this very special canine, taking you to meet the several rescued animals, and allowing for you to develop a much deeper understanding of its habits in captivity as in the wild. There are no words to describe the kind of responsibility, personal commitment, and hard work that goes into caring and organizing a place like this one.Two ladies, late artist Jacque Evans and British actress Barbara Bergie, whom I had the honor to meet and become friends with (I live 2 miles away from the Sanctuary) started rescuing wolves and hybrids many years ago. At the time, they entrusted me with 2 of their emergency-rescued animals for which they did not have immediate space. I just had then professionally built enclosures done at my place for my adopted team of sled-dogs, and I had room.The 2 she-wolves ("White Cloud" alias "Claudia" and "White Satin" alias "Sadie") became integral part of my operation, teaching all my other dogs the "wolf-language". They became the protectors of my ranch, and still today I feel their spirits around. They taught me things I did not know about wolves, amazing me with their sheer intelligence and generosity.A lot of misinformation and misunderstanding has been going on from our human part in regards to wolves, an important chain-link in the circle of life. Especially here in the USA, pushed in the past at the brink of extinction wolves still seem to have not found nowhere around a suitable place in which to survive. Ignorance and fear from the human side being their very first enemy.Places like this sanctuary are trying to educate people about these issues, while giving the found-injured or abandoned (people buy puppies from some mill up north) wolves a break. Lathan Cougar, manager of the Wolf Sanctuary since many years, is the person you want to meet and talk to for the best range of information and planning for a visit to this truly special place, for an important (also spiritual) encounter-experience in your life.

I went there for my birthday/Thanksgiving to volunteer and left healed.I stayed in a new cabin under sparkling stars so thick they went from horizon to horizon. Lots of forest to meditate on, listen to wolves, feel the quiet and learn about family from. This very nice community is in a sacred area of New Mexico. Its only 2 hours SW of Albuquerque and has many comforts of home there and nearby!Iam looking forward to a healing center opening up in 2014!

My husband and I visited Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary in October 2013 and it was such an amazing experience. When we first arrived, we were able to hear the howling of the wolves, such a chilling yet beautiful sound. We took the guided tour around and were able to see a large amount of animals (wolves, a fox, dingos, singing dogs, along with normal dogs). It was very interesting and we were able to get some good pictures (the animals are all kept behind gates). I would highly recommend that you visit this place. Also, if you can help donate to them. They do amazing work with these wolves and need funding to continue to help these animals. They do not breed them and do not capture them in the wild to show them. This is a true sanctuary.

I usually research before I travel and especially look for reputable places where there might be an opportunity for a close up moment with animals. I came across this place also because I have a love of wolves. The photo tour allowed you to be inside the enclosures of some of the "residents" so I was hooked. The Email back and forth before we got there was prompt and pleasant.We got there and it was drizzling, but eventually we got started. I highly recommend NOT wearing open shoes and even athletic shoes might get messed up. I had boots with me on purpose.George and assistant Crystal were kind, encouraging and full of wonderful information. It was clear that they loved their jobs in a way most are not to fortunate to experience. They passionately care about those in their care.We first went into the home of a wonderful little red fox. He checked us out and then got on his rock, allowing us to take a good picture, then scrambled down among his rocks. It was enchanting.Eventually we came to Jaeger's place, where we were joined by George's dog and Jaeger's buddy. We sat down on a log and Mr. J came over and started sniffing our heads. We were told he likes hair products !!!! Georgemkeptmchecking to make sure we were okay. Personally, I was in heaven. It was like being leaned on by a very LARGE dog. There was no petting, just the indescribable joy of being so close to such a beautiful creature. From there we went to be with a timber wolf named Zoerro. This time we were standing against a fence. He came and sniffed and all of a sudden stood up on his legs and put his front paws on my husband 's shoulders. It was a thrilling moment, and Zoerro stayed like that for awhile. My husband put his hands on Zoerro's paws. I was so moved I couldn't take a picture.I could go on, but needless to say, it was very special. We will never forget our visit.

I recently spent quite a bit of time at the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary taking both their guided tour throughout the facilities and meeting all the wolves, dingoes, singing dogs and the red fox, and I also participated in the photo tour that they offer as I am a professional photographer in Hawaii and jump at the chance to photograph wildlife in just about any setting. The facilities themselves were immaculate and the staff and volunteers very professional and helpful, making you immediately feel at home. It's obvious that the animals are both loved and well-cared for and it was a treat to learn as much as I could about them in my time at the sanctuary. I rented their cabin on-site which was much more comfy and roomy than expected, and made for a great escape. I would highly recommend a visit to anyone planning to visit the area and their entrance fees are very reasonable and it's nice to see that being a non-profit, all of the money is put towards a very worthy cause.

My lady & I were drifting west towards the coast, no real destination in mind. Spent a night in Grants and then took NM 53 to El Malpais and El Morro National Monuments. Just off NM 53 is a route that leads to the Wolf Sanctuary. We don't usually go in for this sort of thing as both love animals and too many of these places are not well run and just exploit the animals. Certainly NOT the case here. The facility is large, run by volunteers who are obviously passionate and well informed about their animals. We took the $7 tour and it was well worth it - longer than I expected actually but we both could have spent even longer just watching these beautiful creatures - wolves and wolf-dogs. Definitely worth it - even if just to listen to the song of the wolves as they howl - beautiful and thriliing