CIBOLA COUNTY, N.M. – Deep in the heart of western New Mexico, you’ll find a pack of wolves unlike any other.  

“Every single animal on property, [except for our four coyotes] were bred in captivity for the purpose of being sold to people as pets, or to being sold to facilities for exhibit, exhibition or breeding programs,” said Brittany McDonald, executive director of the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary. 

The Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary is one of the largest sanctuaries dedicated to wolves, wolf-dogs, and other canines in the country.

“They have never been in the wild, so they are not eligible for re-release. So we offer lifelong care to these animals, and in order to educate people about the plight of them and how they end up here,” said McDonald. 

Nearly 75 animals call Wild Spirit home today, and that’s especially true for a wolf-dog hybrid named “Leia.” 

Even with 25-acres of enclosures, this pack is at its limit. 

“We actually receive between three to 500 intake requests, on average, every single year. So the majority that we’re asked to take in, we have to say no to. The problem with wolf-dog ownership and the challenges that result in them needing sanctuary are not going away with the rise of TikTok and things like that,” McDonald said.   

So when the folks at Wild Spirit learned a similar wolf sanctuary up in Colorado was on the verge of closing, putting the lives of its 25 wolf-dogs in limbo, they had an idea.

“I actually approached them and asked if they would be interested in doing a dissolution into Wild Spirit, which would allow us to take over their property and the animals. Keep them there and keep a vital sanctuary resource for future generations,” said McDonald. 

Wild Spirit is working to raise $1.5 million to acquire the Indigo Mountain Sanctuary, nestled between Colorado Springs and Denver.

McDonald says half of the money will be used to purchase the property, and the other half to make some upgrades to allow Indigo Mountain to welcome paying visitors, potentially a lot more than the remote Wild Spirit Sanctuary.

“Even when people do come out to visit, and they’re willing to spend the money to see us, it’s at least one to two hours from the nearest town or city,” McDonald said. 

She says the extra revenue will benefit both sanctuaries and all the animals who call them home. 

“We have over 100 acres, but we can’t currently afford to expand much more than we have done, and we can’t afford to feed more rescues and vet more rescues. But that could all very easily change if we have a successful venture in Colorado,” said McDonald. 

If you would like to help the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary, click here.