Many of you have written to ask if there are any charities I support. Those of you who know me know how much I love animals. I discovered the
Wolf Run Wildlife Refuge last fall when I saw an article in a Kentucky newspaper that said they were having difficulty feeding their hungry lions, and needed help.
I wanted to go visit for months, but between the holidays, writing and family time, it wasn't until this past weekend that I finally got the chance to drive down to Nicholasville and spend some time at the refuge. It's an amazing place, run by an amazing woman, Mary Kindred, and her volunteers. The animals are happy, healthy and loved.
Wolf Run Wildlife Refuge is a no-kill refuge whose purpose is to help innocent animals find a world that's safe, free from abuse and serve as a permanent sanctuary for those that can not be released back into the wild.
The refuge currently houses 60-plus animals, including lions, a wallaby, monkeys, cougars, bobcats, wolves and wolf hybrids, coyote hybrids, sheep, deer, and an assortment of native Kentucky wildlife.
It relies solely on donations and is in dire need of help during these tough economic times. They go through 400 pounds of dog food a week, and need at least $4,500.00 a month to make ends meet. (And that's just barely getting by.)
The wolf hybrids were gorgeous, clever and very friendly. They kept sticking their noses up for kisses and I couldn't say no. But as you'll see in this brief clip (I had no idea was being shot of me) I chickened out at the last minute when I locked eyes with the one on the right, and was startled by the intensity of its gaze. It was fiercely intelligent, playful and a bit more self-aware than I expected to see, and I credit animals with a lot of intelligence.
