My mom isn’t the only wolf lady that I know. Recently I had the pleasure of meeting another one: Manuela.
Last month, Sara asked me if I could be at her house by 6:30 one morning so I could watch Maverick for a while. Her friend Manuela was to pick her up at that time so they could visit a wolf preserve in Dandridge: Wolf PAWS, Inc. I was amazed because I didn’t know anything like that existed here in East Tennessee. I readily agreed. Like I’m going to miss out on time with my grandson. Afterwards, Sara talked about how much she enjoyed the tour. Naturally I thought their trip could make for an interesting article. So, I contacted Manuela and she kindly agreed to meet with me for an interview. We had a very nice time. But then again, we were talking over coffee and doughnuts.
Not knowing that much about wolves, I asked if the ones in the preserve could be adopted. Her answer was immediate: “Absolutely not! They are wild animals.” Then I asked how the wolves wound up in Wolf PAWS. In my mind, I envisioned them being caught in some kind of trap for wild animals. That wasn’t it at all. Manuela said the wolves had been surrendered by people who tried to keep them as pets. It doesn’t work. Unfortunately, if these animals are taken to a regular animal shelter, they stand a great chance to be euthanized.
Manuela continued on to tell me that the first thing they do at the preserve is a DNA test on the wolves to determine how “wolf” they are. That helps to determine the nutritional needs of the wolf. When they are fed, pet food isn’t placed into a bowl as with a domesticated dog. First of all, wolves eat raw meat. Second, their meal is placed where the wolves have to hunt for it. That’s their instinct. After they eat, they like to nap. This is one reason why tours are private and by appointment only. I learned another interesting piece of information. Did you know wolves are very social animals and not loners? They live in family units known as packs. The strongest ones do the hunting. The oldest ones are the Alpha wolves. Plus, as a form of survival, they guard their resources.
As for the preserve itself, Wolf PAWS, Inc is a nonprofit organization. It’s staffed by volunteers and it receives no government assistance. If you want to visit, donate, or learn more about wolves. please clink on the following link: https://www.wolfpaws.org. Also, on this link, you can purchase merchandise from their wolf store. I’m going to see what I can buy for my “wolf lady” mother.
As for Manuela. I so enjoyed getting to know her. One of the first things I noticed was her bravery. Originally, she hails from Heidelberg Germany. In 1997 she flew to New York City with her son. At that time, she didn’t speak much English. I simply can’t imagine going to a large city in strange country where I would have difficulty communicating. I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t have done it. Then they took a bus down to Knoxville to visit the mother of her future husband. After arriving, they discovered she was away to visit relatives in West Virginia. So, Manuela and her son got a hotel room and then took a bus to downtown Knoxville. Again, I wouldn’t have done that, but this lady has some guts. By the way, this comes in handy if you’re a dog trainer.
Manuela has her own dog training business: The Canine Clubhaus. Her career of dog training began in Germany. She started out being the dog walker/sitter for her village. Next, she got into training six-month-old puppies for the police. Before starting her business here, she took an on-line course from the Animal Behavior College in California. It took her 18 weeks to complete it. Of course, I asked, what were her favorite dogs to train. To my surprise, she answered: “The aggressive and fearful ones.” She said the turn-around is faster and more of a challenge. When I asked if she ever gets bitten, she shrugged and answered: “Sure.” So, she not only has guts, but determination as well as.
“And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” Genesis 1:28 (KJV)
Yes, the Lord commands us to have dominion over the earth and its creatures. But if you think about it, that is a huge responsibility. We need to do it with wisdom and appreciation while not being wasteful.
Now that I think about it, Manuela, my mom, and daughter have a couple of things in common. Not only do they all love wolves, but they themselves are natural survivors.
Manuela may be contacted via the link: https://www.thecanineclubhaus.com/
Sara’s link is: https://saraswaggytails.com/
Brooke Cox is an author, speaker, and storyteller. She was a 2016 Selah Awards Finalist for Debut Novel. Her children’s book: “Dinosaur Eggs,” is now available. It is based on Ephesians 6: The Armor of God. Her novel “Until the Moon Rises: A Conniving Cousin Mystery” is also available. Also, she has two books out in her storytelling series: “Saucy Southern Stories.” The Amazon links for her books may be found on her website: brookecoxstories.com. Please feel free to contact her. She would love to hear from you.