Heritage community adopts wolf
The newest member of The Heritage of Green Hills community in Shillington doesn’t actually live on the healthy life plan community’s 78-acre campus. In fact, he’s never been to
The Heritage of Green Hills. Instead, he spends his time with approximately 40 of his friends at the Wolf Sanctuary of Pennsylvania in Speedwell, Pa. That’s because he – Spirit by name – is a wolf.
The residents of The Heritage recently adopted the two-and-a-half-yearold Spirit, a gray wolf-dog hybrid that has been living at the Wolf Sanctuary since late 2014. The Sanctuary was founded more than 30 years ago on 80plus acres of natural woodland as a home for animals that have found themselves without a place in the natural world. It has been more than 100 years since the last wild wolf was known to exist in Pennsylvania. Originally created as a private rescue, the sanctuary has grown into an educational facility that is devoted to assuring the most comfortable and stimulating environment for more than 40 wolves and wolf hybrids.
“Our residents were really excited to adopt Spirit,” said Cheryl Anderson, Well by Design director at The Heritage. “Our Well by Design program is a whole-person philosophy that focuses on eight dimensions of wellness, one of which is environmental. Adopting Spirit is one way we show our respect for the environment by helping to protect animal life. And it helps our residents live a happier, healthier lifestyle, too.
Many residents have been out to the sanctuary to see the wolves,” Anderson said. “We take pride in helping to provide an appropriate home for Spirit in a setting that is much like his natural habitat.”