Canada's only wolfdog sanctuary has won the 2024 Defender Service Awards handover.
Selected from hundreds of applicants across the continent, the Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary is the winner of a custom-fitted Land Rover Defender 130 and a $25,000 USD cash prize.
"When we saw the call for nomination we immediately thought of the Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary, located only 30 minutes from the dealership," the Land Rover Dealer Principal, Paul Valentine, said. "We loved the thought of helping a small, local charity that operates on a big scale. They work tirelessly to educate the public and provide a safe haven for rescued wolfdogs; now they're receiving the vehicle and funding they need to take their work even further."
The Defender Service Awards are hosted annually by Land Rover Royal Oaks to recognize outstanding organizations making a difference in their communities.
The first stage of entering the competition requires nominees to submit a video that describes the organization's cause. Based on this, Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary was shortlisted with five different organizations within their category.
"It's amazing to be able to raise awareness for the wolfdogs on an international stage; that's remarkable for us," said Yamnuska communications manager Sarah Misson. "We are amazed by the support overall, and the number of people who heard about our mission, really believed in what we were doing to actually get us to the finals and eventually win this year is quite amazing."
The wolfdogs have some amount of wolf DNA within them. The sanctuary has categorized them within three different ways: low content wolfdogs, which are 20 to 49 per cent; mid content that are 50 to 80 per cent; and lastly, high content of 80 to 95 per plus per cent.
"Wolfdogs are quite interesting animals: they are not quite domestic, they are not quite wild," Misson shared. "They are bred intentionally by humans for the exotic pet trade.
Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary is a non-profit dedicated to public awareness and education about wolfdogs and wolves in the wild.
The sanctuary is located east of the Rocky Mountains near Cochrane, with a pack of 58 resident wolfdogs. Many of them come either as owner surrenders or from terrible circumstances where they are abused, victims of backyard breeding, and more.
"People who get into ownership, who don't know about wolfdogs and the challenges that they will face with them, [surrender] their ownership," Misson shared.
She adds that the organization actively offers educational information to nearby residents to learn more about wolfdogs in general and the current wolfdog residents at the sanctuary.
Misson is grateful for everyone who voted for the Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary and the Land Rover Royal Oak for the support throughout the journey.
