Where the wild things are: Highway Wolf, Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary team up to help rescued wildlife

It was a normal day at the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary for Marketing Manager Katie Forbis until she got a call from lead singer and drummer Mick Hellman, who was trying to see how he could highlight the sanctuary in connection with his band name: Highway Wolf.

Where the wild things are: Highway Wolf, Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary team up to help rescued wildlife

Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary is a New Mexico-based nonprofit located in Ramah that was founded in 1991 to help rescue wild Canidae. This typically includes foxes, dingoes and their namesake: wolves. The sanctuary takes care of animals who were previously raised in captivity and cannot be reintroduced in to the wild. The sanctuary is funded entirely by donations and occasional grants.

“We rely entirely on the goodwill of people from the community to do what we do,” Forbis said.

Forbis was pleasantly surprised to hear that someone wanted to support the sanctuary, especially when Highway Wolf said they would handle all of the work.

“The artist said he wanted to get involved with a nonprofit industry and decided to do wolves because it was good synergy,” Forbis said. “We did everything over email and it was super easy working with them. They did a lot of the work and sent us the final product to approve before it went out.”

Hellman said it was important to the band to support nonprofit organizations that might not have the resources they need for promotion.

“We launched our Sanctuary Spotlight Initiative to support the important work these organizations do to protect wolves and wildlife,” Hellman said in an email. “As a musical artist, I wanted to use my platform to introduce these sanctuaries to fans who might not otherwise come across them.”

When Hellman was looking for sanctuaries to promote, he said he found Wild Spirits first and was immediately impressed.

“Our goal is to cover as many sanctuaries as possible across the United States,” he said. “Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary in New Mexico was one of the first we discovered. I was impressed by their unique program that allows supporters to individually sponsor wolves. This personalized approach helps supporters feel more connected to the cause by seeing photos and knowing the names of the wolves they support.”

Wild Spirits connects people with their mission by allowing visits to the sanctuary. Thursday through Sunday, visitors are able to join a standard tour that goes through the sanctuary twice a day. Visitors can also join specialty tours where they are able to feed the animals. Patrons are also able to experience a day in the life of a fox keeper, where they will be shown how to take care of the animals.

Hellman said that these experiences made him more connected and more interested in the sanctuary.

“One of the most exciting things I learned is about their incredible volunteer program,” Hellman said. “They offer opportunities ranging from a couple of days to a full week, complete with camping accommodations for those eager to lend a hand. Volunteers can help with landscaping, meal preparation, building and maintenance projects, and more. It’s a fantastic way for people to get involved, contribute to the sanctuary’s mission, and experience the beautiful surroundings firsthand.”

Hellman decided to dedicate July’s profits to Wild Spirit. All proceeds from their Highway Wolf merch bundle will be donated to the sanctuary. The band also promoted the sanctuary on their social media pages, highlighted the sanctuary on the band website, and dedicated a section of their monthly email newsletter to inform fans about the sanctuary. To purchase the merch bundle, visit highwaywolfmusic.com.