MIKE BRAUN Wolf hybrids find their sanctuary

Just because an animal is at the top of the food chain doesn't mean it can't be abused.
An 80-acre sanctuary in the boondocks of Columbiana County stands as a testimony to that fact.
The Richard E. Flauto Wildlife Foundation and Wolf Sanctuary exists basically because one man, Richard E. Flauto, felt a compassion for an abused animal and dedicated his life and much of his financial resources to saving as many as possible.
About five years ago, Flauto began getting interested in helping abused animals. He discovered a wolf-dog hybrid at an area kennel, thought it was being treated unfairly and purchased the animal. He was off and running from there.
He received calls about more abused wolves and acquired several more of the hybrid canines. He also purchased a piece of land in rural Columbiana County where the animals he had could live out their days without abuse.
Lost its founder: Unfortunately, Flauto died at age 31 from a heart ailment in 1999, but the foundation and the sanctuary continues as a result of the dedicated efforts of a group of volunteers.
Christine Roddy, a foundation officer, and her husband, John Yuhas, a foundation board member, said that Flauto was more than dedicated to the wolves.
"Rich loved wolves all his life. All his money went to the wolves," Yuhas said, adding that the Boardman native was not well-off by any means.
"Basically, Rich found the wolves and brought them here," Yuhas said. He added that some of the animals came from abusive or potentially abusive situations, such as four that came from a fur farm in the northern United States.
"These are all considered wild animals," Yuhas explained. "We do have contact with them and play with them -- and they are not vicious -- but they are still wild animals."
Yuhas said that it is impossible to tell just what percentage of wolf or dog is in each animal, but that there is a portion of wild wolf in all of them.
No releases planned: Yuhas and Roddy emphasized that the wolves are not being cared for with eventual release in mind. The females have all been spayed and there is no breeding being done, except for one litter that Flauto wanted the first wolves to have.
"This is a private sanctuary and the animals are not used to a lot of visitors," Roddy said. "But we intend to eventually form an educational center."
Yuhas added that making such a move all depends on funds, but that sometime in the next two years the foundation would like to have the educational center ready.
Fundraising is a continual process for the group, which has a website (www.wolfcountry.net/rfwf/) that offers items for sale as well as information on the wolves.
Seminar set: Along the lines of explaining what it is and showing what work it does, the foundation will be host of a public seminar at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Stacey Pavilion in Austintown Township Park, 6000 Kirk Road.
Yuhas said the seminar will include slides about some of the 25 wolves at the center as well as scenes from the property.
The sanctuary has about 14 acres fenced in and Yuhas said fencing more of the land is a future project. Volunteers take turns living at the residence on the property to care for the animals.
"Basically, the animals come here to live out their lives," Yuhas said. "They are not for sale and, in fact, we are against the sale of these kinds of animals."