“For eight years I worked with just about
every exotic animal, from bears to tigers to
elephants,” Nancy said. “ There were two
leopard babies born one day, and while the
owner gave one away he kept the other, its
name was Moondance. When she was very
small he put her in a unit next to a cougar, even
though I told him he should never do it. You
never put a baby next to a full-grown cougar. It
took two days for her to lose a leg. He gave her
to me, I think, just to shut me up.”
Moondance was the first animal under
Nancy’s supervision, but eventually another
animal came, then another. Soon she had her
own menagerie going, and Shy
Wolf was born as a 501(c)3
non-profit in 2001.
Nancy said Shy Wolf
Sanctuary exists because
the state of
Florida, as well as
other states
across the country,
has laws that
are very
lenient in allowing
people to possess
Class 3 (known as
“exotic”) animals.
“When someone
decides they don’t want
the animal anymore, humane
societies can’t take them, and domestic
animal services can’t take them, so
they are euthanized. Zoos won’t take them.
Sometimes people just turn them loose. You
have people buying animals they have no
business owning.”
44 GASPARILLA ISLAND July/August 2019
In Florida most large exotic animals require a
permit, certification and hours of training. Backyard
breeders find ways around those laws,
though, by selling them as “low content” or
“hybrid” wolf dogs.
“There are all levels of content for wolf
hybrids,” Donna said, “and they are all different
from dogs. This is a really shameful thing that is
happening here. People breed these animals just
to make money.”
When touring the facility the first thing you
notice is that the paths are narrow, the foliage is
lush and the layout of the habitats is amazingly
concise. To be able to fit so many animals (69 in
all) on such a small parcel of land
takes talent, but each enclosure
seems large enough
for its occupants.
The best way to
dress if you are
going to Shy Wolf
is in long pants, a
lightweight, longsleeved
shirt,
closed-toed
shoes and a misting
of bug repellant.
Our tour began
with a visit to George,
Gracie, Milo and Sophia,
four foxes that had once
been house pets. Most of the animals
at Shy Wolf are what they affectionately
call “pets gone bad.” This means they were
purchased, usually with good intention, by
people who knew little or nothing about their
care, maintenance and habits.
An
old Lab
named Phantom
and a wolf hybrid named
Sable are roomates and life companions.
Below is Loki, a wolf dog.