Sangay Glass's Blog - Posts Tagged "rescue"

This is a love story of remarkable transformation of fear turned to trust, and of a life made worthy of the respected title: ambassador. You can watch the YouTube video here

I worked in domestic-bred wolf and wolfdog rescue, socializing and training the animals to improve their chances of rehoming.

Maggie and her sister were found in a fenced-off crawlspace beneath a porch. The owner was hoarding exotic animals. The sisters were about a year old, intended for breeding. When authorities arrived, their initial solution was to euthanize everything. Fearing the animals, they believed the most efficient method was to shoot them.

Thanks to a quick-thinking team, the sisters were pulled to safety, but with nowhere to go. Eventually, they made their way to our rescue. They were terrified. For days, they did nothing but pace, searching for an escape.

Socializing wolfdogs is a slow, delicate process. Wolves are naturally wary of humans, and of anything new. And I mean anything. A fallen tree branch could send one cowering into a corner for hours. But eventually, one of the sisters came around. Maggie.

Once Maggie began to trust, her sister followed. They started making real progress. Unfortunately, Maggie developed a foot issue that required a cast. Since I had dry facilities at home for medical boarding, I took her in.

That’s where she bloomed. She even got bold enough to leap into my car for daily hikes.

But when she returned to the rescue, things took a turn. She and her sister could no longer share a space. Female wolfdogs are prone to same-sex aggression—and they tried to kill each other. Maggie returned to my home, this time to recover from what was nothing short of evisceration.

I already had three female dogs and couldn’t keep her long-term. So began the challenge of finding her a permanent home.

Adopting out a wolfdog is no small feat. First, not every state or county in the US permits them. Then, adopters need serious experience with independent breeds, like huskies. Dogs who only obey when they see the point.

An applicant came along with experience volunteering at a wolfdog sanctuary in California. I’ll admit I was wary. The woman he was a former Playboy model. But we spent hours talking. She built a proper enclosure. We went over every potential issue. I made handling videos, and after months of preparation, Maggie went to her new home.

And to my surprise, I came to genuinely like and respect the adopter. We became friends, bonded by our love for Maggie. As the video she later shared shows, it worked out beautifully.

But not forever.

After several years, Maggie was rehomed again. This time to a California wolfdog sanctuary. Her owner’s husband was called to serve in a state where wolfdogs weren’t legal. It wasn’t a failure. By then, Maggie was transformed. No longer afraid of people, she thrived until her passing a few years ago.

Wolfdogs have earned a bad reputation because people don’t understand them. We cling to the myth of the Big Bad Wolf and label wolfdogs as wild, dangerous creatures.

But Maggie,a high-content wolfdog, was anything but. She offered only trust, forgiveness, and respect. And she’s not alone.

True wolfdogs aren’t just wolves acting like dogs. They’re thoughtful, emotionally complex animals who give us chance after chance to prove we’re worthy of their love.

Let’s not let them down. Reject the myths. Learn the truth about both wolves and wolfdogs.

Coming July 25th

Set in the remote Adirondacks, where wolves have returned after a century-long absence, We Weren’t Meant to Be Wolves is a chilling and darkly humorous story rooted in real-world conservation, identity, and the blurry lines between what we love and what we fear.

People think field biology is majestic.
Today I sifted through poop, labeled it "Sample 12B," and called it "significant."
I am majestic.

Fun Facts

Scat is a social message board.
Wolves use poop like a group text to mark trails, territory, and letting other wolves know they’ve passed through. It's often placed right in the middle of trails on purpose to be seen and smelled.

You can tell what they've eaten, no lab required.
Wolf scat often contains hair, bone fragments, and even teeth from prey. During winter, it’s extra hairy (think: deer season); in summer, it might show signs of smaller prey or even berries.

It’s one of the best non-invasive tools for field research.
Researchers can gather DNA, hormone levels (stress, reproductive status), and diet information all from scat, no need to trap or collar a single wolf.

Size and shape give away more than you’d think.
Wolf scat is usually 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter and twisted at the ends, distinct from coyotes, which tend to be smaller and more segmented. If it’s full of hair and smells like death, it’s a good find.

Freshness matters.
If it’s still warm or shiny, you're too close. But fresh scat is gold for researchers. It's when DNA and hormone markers are most intact.

Sometimes they poop where they sleep.
A surprise to some, wolves may defecate near or even in their dens when they're sick, stressed, or marking close-range territory, especially if a den is abandoned or being defended.

Set in the remote Adirondacks, where wolves have returned after a century-long absence, We Weren’t Meant to Be Wolves is a chilling and darkly humorous story rooted in real-world conservation, identity, and the blurry lines between what we love and what we fear.

A beaver and a wolf walk into an ecosystem… everything changes.

Most people don’t realize, wolves don’t just eat deer. They sometimes go after beaver. Yes, the adorable, buck-toothed engineers of the wetlands. And that little predation habit? It rewires entire landscapes. Here’s how:

~Beaver Change the Landscape~
Beavers build dams, flood valleys, and create lush wetland habitats. These “pondscapes” support amphibians, birds, fish, and carbon storage. They're keystone species>terraformers with teeth.

~Wolves Eat Beaver~
In some regions, wolves have learned to hunt beaver more than deer, especially in spring and summer when deer are elusive. During peak seasons beaver can make up to 60% of a pack’s diet. Some wolves have adapted to ambush beaver on land where they’re easier to catch because scent trails lead straight to them.

What happens when wolves eat too many beavers?
Less beaver = fewer dams.
Fewer dams = dried-up wetlands.
Dried-up wetlands = habitat loss for frogs, moose, otters, and songbirds.
Suddenly, one predator-prey relationship is shaping the whole ecosystem.

So, are wolves good or bad?

The answer is :

Wolves are part of the balance. They regulate herbivores like deer and semi-aquatic engineers like beavers. The trick isn’t picking sides. It’s understanding that balance doesn’t mean “unchanging.” It means dynamic.
So, what happens when a beaver pond dries up?

Wolves unlock "Early Successional Habitats." It’s like a pop-up bar for moose, ground-nesting birds, and every predator with a nose.

Every time a wolf takes down a beaver, a chain reaction begins. Sometimes it heals. Sometimes it breaks. Ecology isn’t about harmony. It’s about tension and timing… on bark, banks, and beaver.

Coming July 25th

Set in the remote Adirondacks, where wolves have returned after a century-long absence, We Weren’t Meant to Be Wolves is a chilling and darkly humorous story rooted in real-world conservation, identity, and the blurry lines between what we love and what we fear.

Yes, I’ve cried over a dead wolf.

Yes, I’ve yelled at a developer tearing down forest for a golf club.

And yes, I’ve written angry notes in the margins of environmental impact reports.

That's ecological grief in real time. It’s what happens when you care enough to notice what’s missing in our world, in our parks, in our yards.

But here’s the thing:

Grief means you’re still in the game. You're still showing up. You're still planting native wildflowers and hoping they take root.

Some days the world breaks your heart. Other days, a wolf howls back. And you keep going...for those days.

How do you deal with it?
Swear a little. Hike a lot. Hug a dog.
Then go do something that matters, however small.

~Jess Taylor~Check out my story July 25th in paperback and Kindle

Set in the remote Adirondacks, where wolves have returned after a century-long absence, We Weren’t Meant to Be Wolves is a chilling and darkly humorous story rooted in real-world conservation, identity, and the blurry lines between what we love and what we fear.

A wild land is a free land.

Protect both.

Happy 4th of July.

Not every meme is just a joke. Some are weapons. And somehow… wolves got pulled into the crossfire.

Wolves are just predators trying to survive. But mention them online? Suddenly you’re accused of hating ranchers… or hating wildlife… even hating America.

Why? Because propaganda—foreign and domestic—loves a good wedge issue. Wolves are perfect.

Wolves are emotional. Symbolic. Easy to spin.

One side posts: “Wolves are majestic. Let them live.”

The other posts: “Wolves are killing livestock. Stop the madness.”

Both sides go viral. No one checks the data.

Meanwhile? On the ground?

Wolves are being trapped, shot, or mismanaged.
And the people who actually live with them—biologists, ranchers, Indigenous communities—get drowned out by internet rage and clickbait.

So why use wolves?

Because they stir up identity.
Rural vs. urban. Cowboy vs. conservationist.
It’s not really about wolves.
It’s about division by design.

Want to resist? Don’t just pick a side.
Pick truth. Pick science.
Pick dialogue. Even when it’s messy.

Wolves don’t know they’re political symbols.
They’re just trying to make a living.
Same as the rest of us.

Set in the remote Adirondacks, where wolves have returned after a century-long absence, We Weren’t Meant to Be Wolves is a chilling and darkly humorous story rooted in real-world conservation, identity, and the blurry lines between what we love and what we fear.