Five resident packs at the Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary will soon have new, sturdier dens thanks to public donations to the Dens for Days fundraiser.
The sanctuary is making a final push to reach its $15,000 goal, with around $11,000 already raised for building materials since the beginning of March.
Executive director Georgina De Caigny said the wolfdogs typically dig their own dens within their enclosures, but for the types of shallow dens and ground conditions where they dig, they tend to collapse or be more temporary in nature.
"A wolf pack in the wild, generally speaking, is gonna dig a den in a very particular spot," she said. "And they'll dig it, or the alpha female will dig it, to have her puppies in.
"These guys are just digging for a combination of fun and to satisfy that innate need, so it's mentally stimulating for them. They also use it for shelter, for play and to use it as a lookout point because we build them above ground."
The wolfdogs will still have the ability to dig around their new man-made dens, but it will be in an appropriate, designated area. Previously, staff have encountered issues where animals were digging too close to the fence line of their enclosures, creating a risk of escape.
"That's obviously a big no no," said De Caigny.
"We then have to be the bad guys and go put logs down and cover it up to make sure they don't dig there."
The dens will be built away from the fence line using lumber and plywood to create the framework and then will be back-filled with dirt and covered with logs and boulders to create an environment that looks and feels natural to the wolfdogs.
Of the 15 packs at the sanctuary, only five will be receiving new dens due to staff's ability to move the machinery they would need to build them into those enclosures. Each of the five enclosures will have one new den.
"All of the packs are such bonded animals that they will share it, so we really only need the one," said De Caigny.
While monetary donations are welcome and appreciated, the facility is also accepting donations of supplies like lumber, plywood, boulders, and logs.
The dens will be built this spring once ground conditions allow.
To make a contribution to the Dens for Days fundraiser visit yamnuskawolfdogsanctuary.com or contact [email protected]
