My name is Beau. 

This is a name given to me by my new family and it suits me just fine. 

My old name is attached to pain and horrific memories. 

I hate to even bring them up, but some things need to be told, 

so that others may learn and prevent it from happening again.

	Without dredging up all of my unbearable memories, I will tell you that I was starved 

and severely abused for many years. Luckily, my situation was finally reported to the authorities. 

It took two sets of county officials along with a man, whom I have come to know as Sam Lone Wolf, 

to rescue me from that existence. I can’t even call it a life; I merely existed from day to day, 

not knowing if I would survive to the next one or even if I wanted to do so.

	When Sam Lone Wolf came to get me, he put me into the front of his van with him, 

­ showing me trust. He spoke to me in a calm and soothing way that made me feel like an 

actual wolf person, instead of an object to abuse. He kept telling me that I was safe now 

and that he was taking me to a place where I would be loved and cared for. 

Those words were foreign to me. 

	I had never known safety or love and I was not sure if I could trust what he was saying. 

I wanted so much to believe him, but I could not take being let down again.

 He also told me that I was deserving and worthy of the love and respect that I would receive in this new place. 

This made it even harder to believe. Who was I?  I was a lonely, sick and mentally broken shell of an animal. 

When you are treated as if you are worthless, after a while you begin to believe it.  

	I was very thin and fear had ‘glued’ my tail to my stomach. 

I was expecting to be put into a cage when I arrived at this “new home”; 

but when we pulled into a driveway and I smelled the air… 

I can’t really explain it to humans who don’t have much sense of smell.  

The air was fresh and there was a feeling of freedom.

I caught the scent of at least 8 wolves and several dogs and wolf dogs 

­ and the smell told me they were HAPPY.  

	That is when I knew that Sam Lone Wolf had been telling me the truth. 

I looked at him and he just smiled knowingly. I was greeted by people creatures, 

who actually seemed happy to see me.  I was taken to an area with several large enclosures, 

each with one to two wolves or wolf dogs, and put in the chute of a rather frightening female wolf.  

She could not reach me, but she made very unfriendly noises.  

	When the People creatures left me I became very nervous.  

My heart dropped when I realized that this was a wolf of the wild and that she was not going to accept me.  

I tried to get out of the chute, to see if there was a welcome in one of the other enclosures, 

but my foot was caught and I cried out in pain.  

Two People creatures ran to my rescue and I was rushed to a wonderful animal doctor.

	When I came round from the induced sleep I was actually in the arms of one of the 

creature people and I heard the doctor saying that I would need special care due to my weakness, 

lack of food and the sheer terror with which I had lived for so long.  

He said that I must be helped to gain at least forty pounds as I was emaciated.

	I wondered where they would put me.  Perhaps I would go back into a cage somewhere? 

I had not seen any cages or chains at the place where Sam had left me.

	I sometimes think that at this time I died and went to heaven.  

	Instead of being taken back to the chute,  I was very gently helped into 

what was to become my very own Home.  I was shown a special bed, 

a large one that was very cozy! I was then taken in to a large living area.  

This was the largest Dog House I had ever seen!!

	There were no cages and there were four dogs that wandered freely around the house. Amazing!

	After I was introduced to everyone, both two and four legged; 

I was made comfortable and given some food.  

I was very confused, overwhelmed and uncertain of what the rules were. 

I did not want to get into trouble or do anything wrong for fear 

that they might take me back to the hell from which Sam had taken me.

	Several days passed in a blur. 

	The Alpha couple - Jean and John - are creature people. There is also a Rhodesian Lion Dog called Simba 

and although she was rather distant,  we have now become good friends.  

There is also a deaf Dalmatian dog named Solly and a very friendly German Shepherd called Rex, 

who told me that all of them had been rescued and not to worry.  

	I also came to know a very small and elderly gentleman dog "Ghosty" 

who told me that he had been in similar circumstances; perhaps worse as his legs appear to have been broken. 

He explained that he had arrived as a homeless stray with quite severe medical problems, but was taken in and 

given a permanent home with lots of love and attention! All of which he was sure I would receive too!

Once I became accustomed to his habit of walking underneath me and between my legs, we became friends.

	As my health improved and I gained weight, I expected to be moved out to live with the other wolves

 and wolf dogs.  I was very apprehensive as I had become adapted to my new lifestyle and found sleeping on a bed, 

relaxing on a sofa and being surrounded by human and dog people who liked me, it's very comforting. 

 I took heart from my new canine companions when they assured me that no animal 

had ever been known to be sent away once they had a paw inside my new home!

I came here in 2004 and I am told that I live up to my new name "Beau."  

Certainly I am very handsome and now weigh well over one hundred pounds. 

The only visible sign of my past is the lack of a claw nail on my right paw. 

	With the help of my new family, I have gained an awareness of myself and my self-esteem 

is growing stronger on a daily basis. I no longer walk with my head down and my tail between my legs. 

I can walk tall and look into the eyes of others. 

I still need time to get to know new people in order to trust them, 

but if you are patient,  I will take you into my heart and show you the love that I have come to know 

here at my home. I have learned that when we receive, we also long to give.

	A couple of months ago I received the most amazing gift of love; 

she is a bundle of energy, joy and mischief. Her name is Mwitu, she is wolf, and she has given me a purpose. 

While I now have a very good life in a place where I am adored, loved, and cared for and am very happy, 

it wasn’t until Mwitu showed up, that I found the love of my life!  

	She looks up to me, she respects me and she loves me in a way I did not know existed… 

she is the daughter I never had.  She looks to me for assistance, advice and comfort. 

She has adopted me as her role model and I have tried to fill those paws to the best of my ability. 

When she gets little too rowdy and rambunctious, 

I gently put my paw on her and make her sit still and then lick her face and ears. 

This seems to calm her down and we both enjoy the quiet times together. 

Plus, I think our People Creatures are grateful for the “down time!”

			Currently, I am the only Ambassador Wolf here at the Sanctuary, 

but some of the others are going through training 

and they are already learning to interact with our guests.  

I have high hopes that Mwitu will make a great Ambassador when she 

is older and mature enough. She is still over playful and none of us have been able to train her 

not to chew on everything that she sees. 

	However, we  trust that when she reaches her first year, 

she will better understand her obligations and the advantages of being an Ambassador for the Sanctuary. 

Our responsibility and our Native American history make us the traditional teachers/educators; 

and I take that very seriously.

	So, on that note, I would like to share with you all a little piece of advice 

that each of us here has come to know… If you think that having a Wolf as a pet would be

 “cool” or “fun” or even “exciting”, you need to be aware that we are still 

wild animals who can be unpredictable in our moods and are not easily trained. 

We need lots of room to run and do not  take well to being locked up in small cages or put on chains.  

Would you??  

	We are very social creatures who need constant attention. 

It has been said that we do not make good pets, but I would add an amendment to that 

by saying we make excellent companions, but only if your lifestyle enables you 

to be with us 24 hours a day.  

	I often hear people say that the Wolf is their Totem, but a wise lady once said, 

“There is a vast difference between your Spirit Totem Wolf 

and the one tearing up your living room.”

UPDATE:

	Beau passed away on July 15th, 2006, due to complications from intestinal cancer. 

His illness came on suddenly and with very little to do for him. Though not from

the lack of trying! 

	He and Jean went down to Texas A&M Veterinarian Hospital in Galveston, TX.

Where they valiantly tried everything they could think of the save him. 

After 3 operations  with no questions answered and Beau still very ill, 

Jean -with heart breaking- decided not to put Beau through anymore pain. 

He was euthanized with Jean present, holding and comforting Beau through his last minutes.

He passed peacefully.

	A decision was made to get an autopsy performed. First, to find out the cause of Beau's illness.  

And second, to help educate the Veterinarian Hospital on what to look for in the future 

and how to treat such an illness.

	Beau was cremated and a memorial service was held on July 22nd, 2006.  

To date the Sanctuary and Jean have received over 60 emails, letters, cards and 

phone calls from people who have been touched by Beau.

Click on the Remembrances button to read a few of the poems and thoughts sent.