Love your dog but Hate a Wolf?

Dear Friends of the Wild,

Let me open my heart and share a story about my dog, my lifeline, whose soulful eyes and untamed spirit carry the pulse of the wolf. He’s my service dog, and he’s nothing short of extraordinary—the way he senses my darkest moments, nudging me back to light with a gentle press of his warmth, or bounding with a joy that feels like a wild howl under the moon. But it’s the unteachable instincts that truly amaze me: when I’ve fallen in the cold, he’s laid right on me, sharing his body heat to keep me warm until help arrives; he’s licked my face and hands to comfort me, pulling me through moments I thought I couldn’t endure. Sure, trainers can shape basic behaviors, but the way he knows me, saves me time and again, is pure instinct—a gift straight from the wolf. Science confirms it: dogs and wolves share 99.9% of their DNA, so close they’re nearly one, able to blend their bloodlines effortlessly.

But yesterday’s news broke my heart: hunting and conservation groups are appealing a federal ruling that could remove Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves in the Northern Rockies, fighting to keep them vulnerable to state policies that have already turned cruel. If this appeal succeeds, we’re betraying the wolves who gifted us our dogs’ fierce, loving hearts. And right here in Wisconsin, the management plans twist this betrayal into something sick—they’ll literally throw wolves to the dogs, unleashing hounds in brutal chases that turn into dogfights, pitting kin against kin in a frenzy of torment. Wisconsin’s wildlife managers don’t care about cruelty; if they did, they wouldn’t allow this. They don’t truly care about wolves—if they did, they wouldn’t push “management” that includes running them down with snowmobiles, using thermal imaging to hunt them like targets in a game, or baiting them into traps for easy kills. This isn’t recovery; recovery isn’t dog fighting, it isn’t vehicular slaughter, it isn’t high-tech predation disguised as control. That’s not science—that’s destruction. True science incorporates more than just raw population numbers; it’s about ecosystems, behavior, welfare, and balance. Claiming wolves are “recovered” just because numbers hit a threshold is ridiculous—it’s like saying if I traded my service dog with yours, we’d both be just as happy, ignoring the deep bonds, instincts, and individual spirits that make them irreplaceable.

As someone who’s poured over legal briefs and fought through administrative battles for endangered species, I know the stakes. Without the ESA’s shield, we’re not just losing wolves; we’re betraying the ecosystems they sustain and the “aesthetic, ecological, educational, recreational, and scientific value” the Act celebrates. My dog’s intuitive care—his life-saving warmth in the cold, his comforting licks when I’m at my lowest—these are echoes of the wolf’s legacy, and I can’t bear the thought of that being silenced

Friends, this is personal. I’m pleading with you to stand with me to keep wolves safe under the ESA and, at the very least, to ban dogs from these cruel hunts—no more pitting kin against kin. The conservation legacy we’ve built, inspired by pioneers like Rachel Carson and Jane Goodall, is on the line. If habitats vanish for short-term profits, the wolves we owe so much to will fade, and with thm, the wild spirit in every dog we love.

I need your help to raise $2,500 in seven days to file emergency legal briefs and flood decision-makers with our voices, demanding justice.
We are at 125.70.
Here’s what our fight looks like:
– $2,500 fuels a legal motion to uphold protections and challenge barbaric hunting practices
– Tell two friends why your dog’s wild heart moves you, turning your love into 20 voices for change
– Share your dog’s story or a photo of their wolf-like spirit at stories@WisconsinWolvesAndWildlife.org—we’ll carry it into courtrooms and campaigns

They have money, but we have soul—rooted in love, resilience, and the bond we share with our dogs. Give what you can today; every dollar fuels our fight to protect the wolves who made our companions possible. Share your dog’s magic with two friends, and let’s weave a chorus of defiance. Send me your story—I’ll make sure it shines in the battle ahead.

👉 Join me: Donate now to save the wolves who gave us our dogs

With all my heart and fierce resolve, 

🌲 About GLWA

We’re a 501(c)(3) powerhouse (EIN: 82-5403668) uniting, farmers, scientists, and wildlife lovers to defend wolves with science, strategy, and soul. From stopping brutal hunts to calling out monitoring, we’re building lasting change. Learn more at wiwolvesandwildlife.org.

🐺 Be the Hero Wolves Need

Your donation fuels the fight, tells stories of saved packs, and shows the opposition we’re not backing down.👉 Donate now and feel the momentum. Let’s make history—howl yeah!