Recently, Wild Spirit has been working towards offering our followers a more personal look into the world of animal care with our Caretaker Chronicles! Please enjoy our second entry into our CC’s about the relationship between our Executive Director, Brittany, and her strange looking daughter, Artemis.

While many Animal Caretakers may boldly deny the existence of “favorites” in this line of work, I can tell no such lies.  This is especially true after having hand-raised one of our rescues since she came to us as a baby at just four-weeks-old. That rescue is Artemis, a female high-content wolfdog that came to Wild Spirit in the spring of 2022.

Just a small thing at the time, Artemis could not simply be placed outside into an enclosure. Aside from the fact that this would not have been safe for her, it was also incredibly important for her to be raised by humans during her critical socialization periods to avoid her being fearful of not only her Caretakers, but the thousands of guests that visit the sanctuary each year.

Fortunately, this demand allowed myself and several other Caretakers the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to assist in Artemis’s upbringing (which, as you might expect, was a combination of the most joyous times of our lives, and also some of the most frustrating)!

While the process of raising our sweet girl was demanding–requiring multiple daily feedings, around the clock socialization and care, boundary-setting, leash-training, and so much more–it was also beyond rewarding. You see, today Artemis is 2-years-old, living outside full-time and sharing her life with a mid-content wolfdog named Balto who she absolutely adores. However, as with many higher-content wolfdogs, she has grown to be more shy and reserved around those humans that did not participate in raising her (with some exceptions). But for those that were involved in those formative months, we are still seen as members of her “pack,” and loved UNCONDITIONALLY all these years later. 

While I was just one person in a team of devoted Caretakers who took on the massive responsibilities involved in caring for Artemis, I have always assumed the “motherly” role (while other humans functioned as something more akin to hairless siblings). In fact, from the moment Artemis was first introduced to her outdoor enclosure, it was common for me to call out across the sanctuary, exclaiming “Arrrrtemisssss! It’s me, your mom!” which was sure to bring her running up to the fence line (usually with a toy in her mouth), wiggling and excited to see me. This is a sight that will forever bring a smile to my face and tears to my eyes, as she has been demonstrating this behavior since the moment she arrived here. While it was cute for her as a baby, it’s somehow even cuter now!

To this day, Artemis allows me to interact with her in ways that clearly showcase our love, mutual respect, and indeed trust. Though she’s not the first wolfdog I’ve raised, she is the first I’ve had the pleasure of watching grow into an adult, and certainly one of the ones I’ve bonded with most closely.

So when asked whether I have a favorite, I cannot tell a lie. I have many, and Artemis is easily among them. If you wish to support this darling creature, please click here to sponsor!