Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Molly Harper and the Wolves...

This post might make it's way around the blogverse, so you might see it more than once. Oh, I had to post it as it does a small bit to honor wolves. I've personally met wolf-hybrids which also sometimes end up in sanctuaries with wolves. They are too wild to be pets. The ones I met were handled by people who knew what they were doing and had a lot of land for them to roam. I think it is sad that people try to make pets out of animals that should never be pets. *ahem* I'm off the soapbox now. However, if you find a hunky naked were... send him my way. I don't care if he's not tame! ;D
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Unfortunately, actual naked hunky werewolves remain elusive…

When I was little and came running into the house, sweaty and caked in dirt, my mom would cry, “What the- have you been rolling around with wolves?”
Well, here I sit, sweaty, caked in various layers of dried mud.  And I have indeed been playing with wolves.  While promoting the release of my Naked Werewolf romance series, I visited the Wolf Run Wildlife Refuge in Nicholasville, KY.  Wolf Run, a state- and USDA-licensed non-profit educational facility, provides a safe, loving and permanent sanctuary for 23 adult wolves andwolf-dog hybrids. The refuge is also home to two full-grown lions, deer, goats, sheep, monkeys, and other exotic wildlife.  And Rowdy, the most obese raccoon I have ever seen. 
Most of the animals are former pets that were either confiscated by or surrendered by their owners.  Because it turns out, wolf hybrids do not make great house pets.
As Savannah Massey, director of animal care and education at Wolf Run told me, “These animals are gorgeous, appealing and unique. But they’re also aggressive, destructive and territorial.  This is not an animal you want in your home.  Wolf genetics do not go away.  And it’s not just that they could tear up your furniture or hurt one of your other pets- you are physically in danger when you’re around them.”
Just what you want to hear when you’re sitting right next to one, and he’s been licking your face.
Honestly, Boone, a 10-year-old grey male, could not have been nicer during my visit and our subsequent photo shoot.  He was a dignified statesman compared to raucous Razz, a three-year-old tan specimen who seemed to think my make-up was bacon-flavored. (Note to Sephora, wolf-oriented face powder may be a niche market you haven’t considered yet.)
I learned a lot during my visit to Wolf Run.  I was happy to find there are some definite similarities between actual wolves and the characters in HOW TO FLIRT WITH A NAKED WEREWOLF and THE ART OF SEDUCING A NAKED WEREWOLF.
For instance, a wolf will pee on whatever it wants, whenever it wants, to make sure you know that thing belongs to them.   It is now your tree, Boone, we understand.  Thank you for not choosing my shoes.
Wolves have to date.  There are five packs at Wolf Run, each with three to five pack members.  New wolves are matched to potential packs based on temperament when they arrive at Wolf Run.  If the initial matches don’t work, they are moved to different packs until they find a good fit. Some wolves, like Boone, don’t fit well with any group and end up being loners. (Which, I think, makes him a bit like Cooper.) 
Wolves struggle over the Alpha position.  Large males jockey for the position and it can lead to inter-pack tension.   Unlike Boone, who was an Alpha contender, Razz, just seemed to want to play, which made me think of Samson.  I did not see a real-life counterpart for Maggie, which was probably a good thing given her penchant for biting people on the butt.
Mary Kindred, CEO of Wolf Run, calls the animals her babies.  When she walks around the yard, any effort to distract the wolves is futile, because a) she is mom and b) she has Pupperoni in her pocket. Kindred noted that the sanctuary receives no outside funding, and all expenses, such sturdy fencing, food, veterinary care, and upkeep of the grounds, are paid through donations.  The facility welcomes volunteers.   And despite the love and effort Mary and her staff devote to the sanctuary, both she and Savannah look forward to the day they’re no longer needed.
“These animals shouldn’t be here,” Savannah said.  “The lions should be in Africa. The wolves should be in the wild.  Our goal is to rescue animals and educate the public, until a facility like this is no longer needed.”  
To learn more about Wolf Run, go to http://www.wolfrun.org/index.html or contact Mary at ceoatwrwrhope@aol.com.

Wolf photo credit: Memories by Chris/Chris Meyer/Georgetown, KY http://web.me.com/memoriesbychris

HOW TO FLIRT WITH A NAKED WEREWOLF is on sale now!
THE ART OF SEDUCING A NAKED WEREWOLF goes on sale 3/29!

12 comments:

  1. Thank you for posting details of this wonderful refuge.

    Like ourself I feel sad (and angry I admt) when I here of people keeping wild animals as pets. I know some people keep hedgehogs as pets in the US and this really saddens me.

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  2. Love this post! How much fun would it be to visit a place like that? I can see how a lot of people would think owning an animal like this would be a good idea since they're beautiful and seem friendly, but wild is wild and I wouldn't want to coop up a wolf:) Also, I wouldn't want wolf pee all in my house:)

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  3. @...Petty... there are domesticated hedgehogs and they are legal in most states. They are not the same as the wild hedgehog. Promise. :)

    @Jenny... There is one nearby, but I haven't gotten up to the place. I do need to go. Just make sure a wolf doesn't want anything in the house. :)

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  4. So wolves date...but do they mate for life? Can you tell all I "know" about wolves, I got from paranormal books??? I'm an eejit.

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  5. Is it bad that I am totally one of those people who would love to have some wild animal as a pet? Like wouldn't a wolfdog be totally awesome, or a liger?!? But wait... I got lots of (non-wild) cats, so I suppose I should just be happy with those... ;)
    Anyways, these books sounds great, I have heard such good things about them, I really must add them to my wishlist!

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  6. @Stephanie.. I don't know... haven't met a were yet. ;D

    @Avery... wanting is fine, but having them would be a whole other experience. First visit sanctuaries like these and hear those stories before deciding if that is what you want (if the opportunity ever arose).

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  7. Not only do I heartily detest the idea of someone on purpose breeding their pet with a wild animal, it also rankles me when people get a baby deer, baby racoon, baby opossum, baby squirrel, baby skunk or anything else that when it grows up starts being "too much trouble to take care of" and they (1)abandon it or (2) they keep the animal caged or on a chain where it has no room to roam much less have an a chance at a halfway decent life!

    Okay off my soapbox too Melissa... I am grateful for people who are caring and supportive like Mary Kindred and all the people who donate their time and effort and of course money to make a place like Wolf Run possible... However like Ms. Kindred I really wish it were not necessary!

    The series is already on my wish list, thanks for the informative post Melissa and if I see a hunky naked Were will surely keep him for myself!LOL

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  8. Ha! Fun wolf facts that I didn't know. I want to go to a wolf Run, but I don't know about the peeing thing.

    I hadn't seen this post before! Love the trailer.

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  9. LOL, love the wolf facts. I really need to read this series.

    And thanks for sharing the info about the sanctuary. The people who volunteer to help take care of these animals are to they are able to be set free are awesome.

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  10. A fantastic post but also very sad - all these animals are there just because people can't act maturely. I would love to volunteer (but then I would have to own a fighter jet to go to Alaska (or Kentucky) and return home to go to work ;) ).

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  11. I have freaking TWO books coming out the 29th that are screaming must read at me LOL

    Love that she put that much research into her writing :) Though couldn't she have found some more naken werewolves to share?

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  12. lol. One amazing post! I think I need a wolf... ;P Thanks!

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