Wolves | Craft On The Run

We spent most of the day at the Wildlife Sanctuary today. This place is located just outside of Denver. It was amazing. This place is home to big cats and bears. It is the only place I have ever been able to see them so close. They were just gorgeous.

They are so well cared for that at one stage a rabbit was hopping through the enclosure and the lion just chose to lay in his cement pipe and didn’t even bat an eyelid at a meal hopping by!! It was extremely hot too. I think it got to around 43 or so. We had to make sure we were hydrated. The platform around the sanctuary is a mile out and a mile back. So it was quite a walk but you didn’t seem to notice with so many animals to see. The grizzly’s and brown bears were busy eating the fruit and taking a swim in the gaint tanks. Some of them couldn’t be bothered moving, so they just lazed in the enclosure.

We met a wonderful volunteer Kim in the Lion enclosure at the end of the platform. She told us about all the lions in there. Some of their stories were so sad. One of those lions had been put into a concrete enclosure for 10 yrs and left to his own devices. He was so neglected that he has cataracts and can’t see and he didn’t even realise he was a lion until they were able to rescue him and bring him back to the sanctuary. They had to break down the concrete enclosure to get him out. He had been concreted in his cage.

Just absolute disgusting mistreatment by people who should never be able to have these animals in the first place. I am so glad that in Australia we can’t own any form of predator and the only place they can be seen are in the zoo, where they are well cared for. They certainly need those kind of laws in the rest of the world, so that this mistreatment of beautiful animals can never happen. We were asked not to smoke during our time on the platform. I told them that we were not smokers. I had asked why. We were told that it makes the bears go crazy , as they were given smokes in return for performing tricks. It breaks my heart that these animals were treated so badly.

I am so glad I had the opportunity to visit here and I would recommend it to anyone who may visit Denver. They do an amazing job of caring for these gorgeous animals and rescuing these animals from those who choose to mistreat them or abandon them due to their circus’s being closed down. Please check out their website.

www.WildAnimalSanctuary.org

They are located in Keenesburg, Colorado.

After spending most of the day here, we finally managed to tear ourselves away from the place and head back out on the road.

We stopped at some antique places along the way but unfortunately they are no longer there. I must say I am sadden to see the small towns with so many empty shops. Its such a shame they are no longer in business. I don’t think enough people support small business.

Dave and I love the local shops and some of the antique stores we have been into are full of wonderful hidden treasures and the most amazing people. They are so friendly and I have found that they are fasinated by our accents. I still say they are the ones with the accent!!! Everyone we have spoken too say they could listen to us talk for hours and they want to visit Australia. I really hope they get there, but I have said make sure you visit the West Coast, as they are missing the best part of Australia and the most beautiful beaches in the world 🙂 but I’m sure I’m a little bias!!

Well we have crossed the border again, so we are now in Kansas and have left Colorado. We are enjoying the wonderful scenery and back roads and look forward to seeing a lot more.