The center has one of those surreal beginnings - it was a federally funded wolf project for several years when the feds decided they were done. From what I've heard, the employees were told to put down all of the animals and the universal reply was NO. So a few of those people took on the responsibility and changed the scope of the program. It's still a hugely educational purpose, but it moved from a federal research plan to a public education plan.
The center is still located on state land, leased from the MN DNR, but they have purchased property to the north in the hopes to move out on their own. They want to expand the habitats, and the programs offered. The lady who I guess we'd call the BOSS also rescues at risk for euthanasia dogs. A recent addition named Piper is a small breed who was said to be aggressive and to attack children. She is only a love, and has acted well alongside children who know how to respect an animal.
They still do work with the federal government. They house several at risk wolf species that are being researched to help their wild counterparts. They also have a relationship with a Canadian province (I want to say Alberta, but I could be wrong), to take wolf pups from the wild whose parents are being culled as a population control. The species of animals at the center are fairly based around Minnesota ecology, but many of them are pets-gone-wrong. At least one raccoon came from a household, and their skunk did also. I'm going to go out on a limb and say the wolf hybrids are also pets-gone-wrong.
Many of you might have that wonderful invention I refer to as "non-network television". A few years ago the center was on Animal Planets show called "Growing up... Wolf".
could'nt find her amoung wolfes or native dancers :lol:
