Jersey Shore Magazine

J e r s e y s h o r e • s p r i n g 2 0 1 4 14 14 BEACHCOMBER continued from page 13 became full-grown, he realized it was part wolf. It was a surprising dis- covery—as was his new love for the breed. He soon learned that animal shelters don't give wolfdogs a chance to find a home; they auto- matically euthanize them. As a result, Hodanish started taking in wolfdogs about ten years ago. "I couldn't take in too many because it was in a sub- urban neighborhood in Bordentown," Hodanish said. He then fulfilled his dream by purchasing a large parcel of land in Jackson and starting Howling Woods Farm. Howling Woods evolved out of need. The problem starts with irre- sponsible breeders. "Breeders get thousands of dollars, especially if it is a high-content wolfdog. (Mostly wolf, not much dog.) Breeders just want to make some money. So people will come to them and ask 'I live in a condo, or an apartment, or a city, and can I have these as pets?' And the breeder will say 'Oh yeah, sure,'" Hodanish said. Wolves need a lot of space and are pack animals. To these animals, their owner is the alpha, "and when they are left alone, they get upset, and they will—out of frustration—disem- bowel the sofa cushions, or tear the drapes off the windows, or chew on the furniture, and the new owners don't have a nice backyard to put them in," Hodanish remarked. Animal shelters that take in wolf- dogs will sometimes contact Howling Woods Farm before they euthanize the animals. But since there are few other rescuers like Hodanish, many wolfdogs are left with little to no hope. "We got a call from California the other day; Colorado the day before. The sad part is, there are so many of them, I turn down four to five animals per week," Hodanish said. He rescues as many as he can, but it is an overwhelming task. "We basically only take wolfdogs that can be placed in homes. We are not a sanctuary; we don't take in the ani- mals to live out their years here. But it can take up to a year or two years to find a home for these animals," Hodanish said. What are wolfdogs like as pets? "Some folks believe that wolfdogs are inherently provocative and aggressive or that they are capable of 'turning on you.' Just the opposite is true. By nature, they tend to be timid, loving, family (pack)-oriented, and trusting of pack members," Hodanish said. Although wolfdogs do make loyal companions, they require a special set of circumstances to ensure the animals live a long and happy life. Hodanish states, "Our adoption requirements are they have to have a minimum six-foot-high fencing, a yard spacious enough that they can run and play, and a companion ani- mal that they can play with." Hodanish urges those interested in adopting a wolfdog to thoroughly research the breed to determine if it is the right fit for their home. A good place to start is the Howling Woods website, which outlines the dogs' behavioral characteristics. He cautions: "A decision to bring a high content wolfdog into your home is a major lifetime commitment. Giving one up, no matter how good a rea- son, would likely result in its death; it would most likely never make it out of the shelter." As our tour of the farm came to an end, Hodanish brought us to the res- cue pens. Winona, a.k.a. the "Wolf of Brooklyn," spied her intelligent amber eyes upon us. She made histo- ry when she was discovered running loose around the urban borough. In a fairytale twist of fate, she recently returned to the same city—as a model in a photo shoot alongside a famous rock star. Watching her cavort around Howling Woods Farm, it's quite obvious that she's happy to be away from the concrete jungle. As she rests her grey-masked face on her paws, I imagine her dreaming of her wolfdog forever home: grass, trees, open space, a dog friend or two, a family to love…and hot dog treats and belly rubs. —Laura Webber Kerwin To make a donation, volunteer, or adopt a wolfdog from Howling Woods Farm, visit www.howlingwoods.org. Laura Webber Kerwin The writer's children with Takoda, Fritz, and Chante.

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