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Claudia Smith
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Saint Francis Wolf Sanctuary is inviting guests out to the facility this summer to join the pack and learn more about the conservation of wolves and what exactly is a wolfdog.
Executive Director of the Saint Francis Wolf Sanctuary, Nicole Rogers, says the nonprofit started after their founder, Jean LeFevre, rescued a wolf who she named Mystery.
“In 2002, a timber wolf was found caught in a trap in Spring, Texas,” Nicole says. “There haven’t been wolves born in the wild in Texas since the 1940’s, so to come upon a wolf in the middle of Spring, Texas, was an unusual event.”
Mystery had escaped from NAWA, or North American Wolf Sanctuary, which was an unlicensed facility at the time. The wolves were in poor health and denied essential vaccinations. “Animal control from Montgomery County, transported the wolf to a veterinarian who knew our founder,” Nicole says. “[The vet] asked Jean, ‘’would you and your husband apply to USDA to open the first wolf sanctuary in the State of Texas?”’ and at the age of 73 they agreed to do that.”
Due to the facility opening on the feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi, they decided to name the facility “Saint Francis Wolf Sanctuary” and dedicate themselves to rescuing wolves and wolfdogs, while providing outreach and education on the importance of respecting wolves.
“What we want to do is educate [people] about wolves and wolf dogs and why they are not pets,” Nicole says. “We also share with them our pack, how they were rescued, and how our visitors can contribute to wolf conservation in the United States.”
Twice a month, people of all ages are invited out to Saint Francis Wolf Sanctuary to enjoy a night camping out to hear the wolves when they’re most active: nighttime. At Howl Night, guests can stay at the sanctuary until 9:30 p.m. and enjoy a howl or two after cooking over a campfire. For those who wish to spend the night, camping with the wolves is an extension of Howl Night and allows visitors to camp out on their Howl Night field.
“Guests will need to bring camping materials if they plan to spend the night, including a tent, sleeping bags, and lighting. Dinner, dessert and light breakfast is provided alongside vegetarian, kosher and gluten-free alternatives,” Nicole says.
During Howl Night, guests can listen to a campfire chat on why wolves howl. Mostly, wolves howl as a way to communicate with each other. In fact, Howl Night is the only time the staff at the sanctuary will encourage guests to howl with the pack, since during a general sanctuary tour howling at the wolves and wolfdogs is discouraged. This is a part of the fireside chat, so that our guests can howl when the pack is used to howling as crepuscular animals, which is at sundown, during the night, and again at sunrise.
“My most favorite time of the day with the pack would be sunrise. It's a magical time,” Nicole says. “That's a very private quiet time with the pack, where you get to see the animals wake up, greet each other and have their morning howl."
Saint Francis Wolf Sanctuary is handicap accessible and strives to serve all of the guests visiting the sanctuary. “We have accessibility for disabled guests, including those using a wheelchair or a walker,” Nicole says. “We have an ADA compliant bathroom on-site and a wide sidewalk that goes around the whole [facility], to better ensure that it is easy for our guests to get around the sanctuary in comfort.”
For more information on Howl Night & Camping with the Wolves and to purchase tickets, visit saintfranciswolfsanctuary.org
