2012 Wish List (updated Jan. 12)
- 2000 watts of additional PV solar panels - $8,000 (click for details)
- 3000 sq. ft. Fireproof building with septic $150,000 (details)
- Garden tractor with a frontloader, backhoe attachment, and post hole drilling attachment - $18,000 (click for details)
- An Educational / Media Center - a 1000 square foot media building with seating for 50 visitors - $12,000 (click for details)
- Completion of enclosures $8,000.00
- Radiant heating & cooling system $3,000.00
Our biggest capital expense project is to erect a 3000 square foot steel building for the animals. As you know, the purpose of the U.S. Wolf Refuge is to provide the animals under our care the highest quality of life that we can. This includes a safe, secure, and comfortable place to live. Fire is our biggest concern. Another local wildlife facility called Animal Ark was almost completely destroyed by fire several years ago, and the Jullian Wolf Center in southern California (one of this country's most famous wolf sanctuaries) was hit by fire and they lost 3 of the highly endangered Mexican wolves.
The drawing and descriptions (see drawing) depict the plan we have for protecting these animals. The animals will spend the vast majority of their time in the free roaming enclosures. These are several acres in size with abundant trees, dens, and water. The 30' x 100' building will be a highly insulated steel structure. It will insure a safe retreat for the animals and the caretakers in the event of a forest fire. They will be kept in either the indoor pens or outdoor pens only when weather, behavior, or health concerns necessitate it, or when there are no caretakers at the facility. These indoor and outdoor pens will allow the caretakers to control where each animal goes, and to control what animals are put together and what animals are kept apart. The individual pens will also allow for the close monitoring of any animal that has any health or physical problems.
The Future in Wolf and Wolf-dog Care
The purpose of the U.S. Wolf Refuge is to provide the animals in our care with the highest quality of life that we can. One of the most important things in doing this is to provide them with a safe, secure, and comfortable place to live. It is our responsibility to give them a quality of life that is equal to that of their natural way of life. Since these animals cannot be returned to their natural environment, we must give them the freedom to be what they truly are. Giving them this freedom in a captive situation is a delicate and difficult dichotomy.
The drawing (right) and descriptions depict the plan we have for them. They will spend the vast majority of their time in the free roaming enclosures. These are several acres in size with abundant trees, dens, and water. The 30' x 100' building will be a highly insulated fireproof structure. One of our biggest concerns in our location is a forest fire. This building will insure a safe retreat for the animals and the caretakers in the event of such a fire. They will be kept in the indoor pens only when weather, behavior, or health concerns necessitate it, or when there are no caretakers at the facility. These indoor and outdoor pens will allow the caretakers to control where each animal goes, and to control what animals are put together and what animals are kept apart. The individual pens will also allow for the close monitoring of any animal that has any health or physical problems.
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The U.S. Wolf Refuge Fire Proof Building
This is the biggest project in our 21-year history. As you may know, the number of wildfires in the west is increasing dramatically. 
Just in the last few weeks (Sept 07) South Lake Tahoe (just 1.5 hours south of here) and the town of Winnemucca (just 3 hours east of here) experienced the worst wildfires on record, and just days ago there were more wildfires burning in Nevada than ever before. Another wildlife facility in the Reno area was devastated by fire just 4 years ago. The California Wolf Center near San Diego lost 3 of the highly endangered Mexican wolves to fire. I am committed to preventing that from happening here at the U.S. Wolf Refuge.
I know that you love these animals, and that you would be saddened to learn that fire had not only destroyed their home, but had taken their lives. This is an emotion I do not ever want to experience. One of our biggest concerns about our location is a forest fire. It is only with your contributions that together we can protect them from one of Mother Nature’s most horrid events. Many fire prevention measures have already been implemented, but we have a plan that will offer these animals a safe, fireproof sanctuary that they will be able to access on their own. No human will be needed to direct them there. It will be a place of security and food and water.
The animals will spend the vast majority of their time in the free roaming enclosures. These will be several acres in size with abundant trees, dens, and water. The 30’ x 100’ building will be a highly insulated fireproof structure. This building will insure a safe retreat for the animals and the caretakers in the event of such a fire. They will be kept in the indoor pens only when weather, behavior, or health concerns necessitate it, or when there are no caretakers at the facility. These indoor and outdoor pens will allow the caretakers to control where each animal goes, and to control what animals are put together and what animals are kept apart. The individual pens will also allow for the close monitoring of any animal that has any health or physical problems.
Feeding will occur in the indoor pens. This will allow it to be done quickly, easily, cleanly, and without anyone having to be directly exposed to any of the animals. This will allow volunteers that the animals are not familiar with to safely feed and water them. It will also isolate the animals from each other, eliminating “food fighting.” Also, it will insure that any animal needing special food gets it, and that another doesn't steal it. The indoor pens will also have an automatic system that will provide constant clean drinking water.
The building will be heated by radiant heat in the concrete slab foundation and by passive solar. It will be cooled by evaporative cooling and passive solar. The floor will be soft but durable tile. This building will also contain the living quarters for the caretakers. This will keep them in close proximately to the animals at all times. A graduate-level work-study program is being worked out with the University of Nevada Reno, where a graduate student will reside at the facility, conduct pre-established research, and receive credit towards their degree.
The expense of this project exceeds our annual budget by 8 times. Since our relocation to Nevada in 2000, the estimates for this project have risen by 300%. Originally, the cost of this project was approximately $50,000. They are now over $150,000. The completion of the 5 surrounding enclosure is $15,000 With the fire danger increasing dramatically year after year, we can't wait any more. We must acquire the funding to complete this fireproof building as quickly as possible. So far we have been lucky, but we can’t protect these animals with luck. R.W. Swope Construction has been our contractor of choice in our other smaller projects. He is the lowest bidder for this major project, and is anxious to get started.
Educational / Media Center - a 1000 square foot media building with seating for 50 visitors
Much of our education program requires us to travel to the location of the organization that is requesting our presentation program. To make these programs exciting, we always take one or two of our ambassador wolves with us. This is so the audience can experience them up close. Doing this prevents the audience from experiencing the beauty of the Refuge and seeing many more of these magnificent animals in their natural environment. We want to build a separate educational/media building for these presentations. This would enable them to be conducted here at the Refuge in all weather conditions. It would also protect much of our presentation materials from the damage that inevitably occurs during transport. Also the audio/visual equipment would be in working order at all times and not vulnerable to the conditions of an off-site location. In 2011 the lowest bid for this building was $12,000.
Garden tractor with a frontloader, backhoe attachment, and post hole drilling attachment
One of our most immediate needs is for a small 4wd garden tractor. Much of the work this machine will do is in tight areas. Therefore the machine cannot be a large one and must be 4wd. Monthly we need to move dirt into or out of the animal’s enclosures. This is very labor intensive using wheelbarrows and shovels. We constantly need to install new fence posts. Digging fence post holes with a shovel is very strenuous. A fence-post-drilling attachment is an absolute. A trench-digging attachment will be a great time and labor saver.
These machines cost well over $40,000 new. Based on the used ones that we have seen that will do everything we need with all the required attachments range from $17,000 to $20,000. Renting these machines costs about $500 for a weekend. They are needed constantly. With what we have spent on rental fees over the years, we could have bought a good used one. Approximate cost: $18,000
2000 watts of additional PV solar panels
As you know we totally off the grid and completely dependent on solar power for our electricity. Presently we have three arrays with 600 watts, 750 watts, and 960 watts each. The 960 watt array is on a tracker where the 600 watt and 750 watt array are fixed. We are in need of approximately 2000 watts more of PV to supply all of our energy we needs. We have much of the racking already donated to us. To purchase these PV panels and to mount them will cost approximately $8000
Future Wolf Pen Plans
Not to scale Click on the image for a larger view
Feeding will occur in the indoor pens. This will allow it to be done quickly, easily, cleanly, and without anyone having to be directly exposed to any of the animals. It will also isolate the animals from each other, eliminating "food fighting". Also, it will insure that any animal needing special food gets it, and that another doesn't steal it. The indoor pens will also have an automatic system that will provide constant clean drinking water. The building will be heated by radiant heat in the concrete slab foundation and passive solar. It will be cooled by evaporative cooling and passive solar. The floor will soft but durable tile. This building will also contain the living quarters for the caretakers. This will keep them in close proximity to the animals at all times.
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