November 2011 CWWC newsletter by Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center

NOVEMBER 2011 NEWSLETTER Donate one of the following amounts, and brighten this holiday season for our kids!!! Holiday Gifts for Wolves, Coyotes and Fox: $15 - Warm and snuggly bale of straw $30 - Indestructible wolf toy $50 - Outrageously entertaining buffalo hides $75 - Delicious and enriching supplements $100 - Aromatherapy collection (game animal urine) for wolves $150 - Shipment of frozen mice-icicles for red and swift fox $200 - 10 turkeys for a wolf holiday dinner The Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center is always in need of monetary donations. THE PERFECT GIFT this holiday season... give your donation in the name of a friend or loved one.

Thankful...

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Each month we have featured a different animal in danger of extinction (already on the ES list) or an animal that is scheduled for inclusion to the Endangered Species list. We’ve set up a donation jar in the visitor center and at the end of each month, money collected has been sent to a non-profit ambassador organization....

This month, we want to feature a cause “close to home” - NOT an endangered animal, but a United States HERO in need of medical care...

A Very Special Thanksgiving

family member would be a retired by Ruby Ridpath Military Working As Wade and I entered the airport November Dog (MWD) or 13th, we saw arriving passengers greeting Contract Working family and friends. We were excited because Dog (CWD). we were welcoming someone home also. As These dogs didn’t we walked, my mind was busy thinking, “how sign up for the do I properly greet a retired warrior that I job, but willingly have never met before?” work to protect our We met Capt Courtney Hemmert, USAF troop’s everyday as she arrived home from her deployment in and some have been Kabul, Afghanistan, and now it was time to injured or died find that special warrior we had been waiting doing their jobs. for. In July, I found We headed for the baggage claim area looking a dog pending for “him”. After a little while, Courtney and disposition, but Wade motioned me to where they were would have to wait standing. Carlos, our new son had arrived several months from Kabul. As Courtney opened the door, he for him to pass greeted us with big kisses and I started crying the “adoption as I said, “WELCOME HOME”. Carlos is an suitability tests”. Ruby, Capt Courtney Hemmert & Carlos 8yr old Labrador that spent a large part of his If a handler did life as an explosives detection dog protecting not step up for our soldiers in Afghanistan and is now retired. him, he would be ours. Handlers get priority since The story on how Carlos came to spend his “golden they establish very close bonds with these dogs. In years” with us has some twists and turns. October, a handler spoke for him. It all started this past Spring with a story on TV In September while we were waiting to hear about about retired working dogs being eligible for the first dog, Wild Blue Animal Rescue and Sanctuary adoption to civilians and we decided that our next in Black Forest was looking for an adoptive home for

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Wade, Ruby & Carlos

was one other dog there that had needed a home for quite awhile since he had been passed over for the Shepherd breeds. When we made the commitment to adopt a retired working dog that had served his country, it wasn’t for a specific breed, and when we saw Carlos’ picture, we were hooked. The Kennel Master there sent me the Adoption Agreement with a note of gratitude for providing a retirement home to a “warrior”. Courtney arranged everything to get Carlos home. Lt Col Stone and Courtney would be escorting Carlos and another working dog named Narnia on their “freedom flight home”. Lt Col Stone escorted Carlos to Atlanta and Courtney escorted him to his final destination, OUR HOME. We cannot thank Courtney and Lt Col Stone enough for serving our country and caring about the working dogs over there. This Thanksgiving we had something extra to be thankful for: providing a home to a BIG lovable boy that deserves a great retirement after a job well done.

a retired working dog named Bady. He had been an explosives detection dog protecting US and coalition forces in Kabul, Afghanistan. Capt Courtney Hemmert, was on deployment to Kabul when she discovered Bady was being retired due to a foot injury, UPDATE: We have found out that Carlos has and since Courtney volunteered at Wild Blue, she cancer. The tumor was removed, and we are waiting contacted Lauri Cross, the Director there, to see if to have an ultrasound done to see if the cancer has they could provide the medical care Bady needed and metastasized. Regardless of the outcome, we will cherish every day we have with him. Additionally, find him a good home. I contacted Lauri at Wild Blue and expressed an Carlos was diagnosed with a condition called interest in adopting Bady, however, after weighing out Laryngeal Paralysis that will need to be corrected with all factors, we decided to wait for the first dog since a special surgery. We do not regret for one minute giving this warrior a home, and we will do everything Bady was guaranteed a great home. In October when I found out that the first dog we can to ensure that his retirement is filled with love and the best care possible. had passed his tests and a handler was Retirement is good adopting him, I didn’t give up. I sent an email to Lauri at Wild Blue to let her know that the first dog was adopted by a handler, and that if her volunteer heard of any other retiring working dogs, we were ready, willing and able to provide them a home. That same evening, I received an email from Courtney telling me that there

Thankful

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for the animals that share their lives with us

by Katie Geist

Until our recent adoption our household included one dog, one cat, and one parakeet. We’ve been a two dog family for over thirty years. Recently we lost our 15 year old lab, Kali. Our two year old wild pup, Masha, was lonely and needing a playmate. Every dog I’ve had has come from a rescue or shelter. They’ve all been such wonderful dogs, mixed breeds, and an important part of our family. So my search for a rescue dog began. I love labs and lab mixes so I’d been receiving email updates from Safe Harbor Lab Rescue out of Golden, CO for several months. I decided to apply for adoption and check out their available dogs. Through my emails I learned that they had four little puppies that were in foster care with their mom and would be available at the end of October. The story of how they came to the rescue broke my heart, but made me grateful for the caring people who saved them. Bella, a beautiful 1 1/2 year old black lab, had a difficult delivery in early September and her owners left her and her four newborns at a vet’s office to be euthanized. How could someone do that! The vet instead saved them all, and contacted Safe Harbor Lab Rescue. Fortunately with good vet care and a loving foster family, Bella and the pups grew strong, healthy and happy. I was able to meet Bella and the pups in the middle of October. They were all so cute, playful, and friendly. Bella was a gentle, loving mom. She let us handle the pups while keeping an eye on them. We decided to adopt one of the females, a beautiful jet black lab puppy. She’s been with us since November 5 and has been a joy. Her new name is Tuva, a fascinating place I visited on a trip to Siberia four years ago. Tuva loves her daily walks with her new big sister Masha, is learning basic commands, and is sleeping all night in her crate with her stuffed dinosaur. The tremendous job the foster family did in caring for the pups shows in how calm and socialized Tuva is. Her siblings have also been adopted and Bella hopefully will also have a forever home soon. It’s sometimes shocking to hear how animals are treated by people, even owners who have supposedly taken on the guardian role. Safe Harbor Lab Rescue is a terrific organization to work with. Their love and dedication to saving labs showed in everyone I had contact with. Thank you, Safe Harbor, and all the other caring rescues and shelters, for what you do for animals. Safe Harbor Lab Rescue • Golden, CO Hotline: 303.464.7777 http://www.safeharborlabrescue.org/

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Holiday Decorating with Wildlife in Mind With the holiday season rapidly approaching, Colorado Parks and Wildlife asks citizens to keep wildlife in mind as they decorate outside their homes. Outdoor lighting and decorations can pose serious hazards to wildlife, especially deer and elk. And, unfortunately, not a year goes by without wildlife officers being called to rescue animals caught in wired lights or decorations stuck on animals’ horns, antlers, heads or legs. Most of these incidents can be prevented by following a few simple tips on where and how to use decorations. RECOMMENDATIONS • Wait to put up outdoor lights on posts, shrubs or small trees until after the peak of the deer rut, sometime after the first week of December. • Trees with trunk diameters of two to six inches are most likely to be rubbed by bucks which entangle lights in their antlers - only string lights on larger diameter trees. • Use multiple short strands of wire plugged together versus one long strand so that if animals become entangled they will have less cord to deal with. • Avoid stringing lights “clothesline” style across areas - firmly attach lights to tree limbs, gutters, or fence posts. • Place flags along wired decorations so that deer can see where the wire is and avoid entanglement.

These ideas can also apply to general yard planning year-round. Wildlife can also benefit from: • Removing volleyball nets from their posts during the winter-- don’t wrap nets around the post, as animals may still be enticed to rub their antlers on it and become entangled. • Disconnecting & storing water hoses, tomato cages and other garden materials (netting, stakes, etc.) until spring. • Taking down and storing hammocks and swings when not in use. • Flagging or removing empty clotheslines until needed. • Fencing yards with animals in mind.

WHEN TO INTERVENE “One of the greatest hazards to an entangled animal can be a well-meaning citizen who comes too close,” said Casey Westbrook, district wildlife manager for northeast Elbert County “People should not approach or try to help an entangled animal. Greater injury to the animal or injury to the person may result. Precaution is the preferred tool to problem-solving.” Colorado Parks and Wildlife is often called to remove objects from wildlife. However, it’s important for the public to understand that capturing and handling animals can be very stressful to them and can result in animal mortality. Because of this, Colorado Parks and Wildlife generally does not remove objects from animals unless the object is impeding the animal’s movement, has completely blocked the animal’s vision, or is around the animal’s jaw, neck or chest where constriction will affect survival. In the case of deer and elk with wire or other non-life threatening materials on the antlers, the problem usually comes in mid-winter when antlers are annually shed. However, animals which have become attached to each other because of manmade materials do need assistance, as this kind of entanglement can result in death. Call a Parks and Wildlife professional in your state for help.

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Dancinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; with the stars

love the kisses

Business Organization and Management Class Picture

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Recent events were a BIG success...thanks to all who attended and volunteered Halloween Festivities Were Howls of Fun! Our 1st bonfire in our new fire pit - This Halloween also marked our 5th anniversary at our current and permanent location in Divide, Colorado. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re growing bigger and better every year! Thank you to all who have made it possible. Makah is not called punkin face for nothing

Mine! Kim throwing the turkey over to Keoka and Sakara

BUFFALO HIDE TOUR

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DECEMBER events & special tours sunday

monday

tuesday wednesday thursday

friday

saturday

1 2 3 these tours and events

are in addition to our standard 10am, Noon & 2pm tours

4PM Feeding Fest Tour

full moon tour 4PM

11 12 13 14 15 16 17

4PM Feeding Fest Tour

18 19 20 21 22 23 24 HOLIDAY CELEBRATION 4PM 4PM 4PM 4PM 10AM Feeding Fest Feeding Fest Feeding Fest Feeding Fest Tour Tour Tour Tour 25

CLOSED CHRISTMAS DAY

4PM Feeding Fest Tour

I RE D U Q E R ONS I T A V U RS R O E T S E L S R AL VE N T E FO R L PECIA 742 e S D AN 7-9ited spac on 8 6 7 1 9 ave lim ncellati a er. urs h no-c All to have a ay-Octob M we and icy from pol

4PM Feeding Fest Tour

full moon tour DECEMBER 10, 2011 Please be here by 4:00 pm to check in. Meet and Greet one of our wolves at 4:30 - Tour starts immediately after and lasts approximately 1 hour.

• Wear warm clothes and good boots • Bring a camera and a flashlight • Cocoa and coffee will be provided ADULTS: $25 · KIDS: $15 (8-12 yrs) No kids under 8

RESERVATIONS required 719-687-9742

4PM Feeding Fest Tour

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Feeding Fest Tour

Wild Winter

Christmas Celebration

Tues, Wed, Fri, Sat AND SUNDAY

Meet our resident animals during the feeding tour and observe them when they are most active...feeding time! Learn Join us about for ahunting, specialhowling and hierarchy and communicate holiday celebration with the pack in a group howl! Adults $20 Saturday, Dec. 24th Children 12 and under $10

10am to 11am

Thank Park Superintendent Festivities will Mary Gibson Scott for Standing Up include breakfast for Wyoming’s Wolves As the news for Northern burritos with santa Rockies wolves has gone from bad to worse, andthere theis awolves. voice of reason for ethical and scientifically defensible wolf management. $20Mary perGibson person Scott, Superintendent of Grand Teton National Park, recently opposed parts of Wyoming’s wolf plan - endorsed by her bosses’ boss, Please RSVP early.Ken Salazar Secretary of the Interior - thatis would allow hunting for wolves Space limited! near the Park. She noted that many 719.687.9742 wolf packs in the Park spend the winter outside the Park boundary and that hunting could socially disrupt and even eliminate entire packs. Please join WildEarth Guardians in thanking Superintendent Scott for standing her ground with wolves. The state’s plan would allow wolves to be shot on sight throughout nearly 90 · www.wolfeducation.org percent of Wyoming, including on public land! CO 80814 The Wyoming wolf plan would isolate and reduce wolf populations, threatening their survival and limiting their beneficial effects as ecosystem engineers. http://www.wildearthguardians.org/ site/MessageViewer?em_id=6361.0

Join us for a special holiday celebration Saturday, Dec. 24th · 10am to 11am RSVP 719-687-9742 Festivities will include breakfast burritos with santa andDivide, the wolves. $20 per person Please RSVP early · Space is limited! 719·687.9742

United Postcard Campaign

As you may already know, the oil and gas industry has already written itself loopholes into the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Clean Air Act and many other laws. Now they’re gunning for the Endangered Species Act. The beleaguered officials at USFWS just might cave into industry’s latest demands unless we, as wildlife advocates, begin to speak up in defense of the ESA. The 2012 Interior budget (HR2584) contains some of the most destructive amendments which attack our environment like never before in modern history. For example, another “rider” shields gray wolf delistings from judicial review – (Section 119). This provision undercuts one of the most important checks and balances built into the ESA – public participation through the ability of citizens to request judicial review of delistings. We continue to receive much feedback from our supporters regarding these and other threats to the Endangered Species Act. Our Board of Directors and our Advisory Board recently gathered to discuss a variety of actions to address our collective concerns. In speaking with several environmental staffers in Washington DC in the last year, we learned that

postcards are a noticeable means by which citizens can make their voices heard because they are unique, brief and easily accepted via mail. Thus, we will be rolling out an ESA Postcard Campaign very shortly. We are encouraging our supporters across the nation to send a unique postcard, along with a brief statement in support of the ESA, from their location to a select number of pro-environmental and moderate (on-the-fence) representatives in Congress. It is our hope that as these postcards from diverse locations trickle into DC offices, staffers and their respective representatives will take note and be reminded that ESA supporters are watching carefully. It is our hope that you will join us in this easy action plan so that more citizens can join the voice of countless citizens in opposition to deliberate measures that seek to destroy the ESA. Please let us know if you plan to participate so that we can mutually support each other’s efforts. Thank you for your consideration and interest. Respectfully, Wolfwatcher.org Marc Cooke & Dave Hornoff, Co-Presidents

working together to make a difference... “We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals.” ~ Immanual Kant

Mexican Grey Wolves www.mexicanwolves.org

Natural Resources Defense Council www.nrdc.org

www.aza.org www.projectcoyote.org

www.defendersofwildlife.org

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Wild Earth Guardians

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For current wolf articles and to be a voice through knowledge

~ Martin Buber

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