OUR FOUNDER'S STORY
Ever since I was a young child, I loved animals. In fact, ever since I was brought home from the hospital just days after my birth, I was introduced to very first childhood dog, Midori, a black Kai Ken. She was very protective of me, and laid underneath my crib every night, not allowing anyone other than my parents to hold me. I grew up with Midori and wrote stories about her in my journal. Throughout my earlier years, I got really into dogs, horses, dolphins and butterflies. My grandmother and great aunt had a small terrier dog named Ellie who we frequently visited as we were a close family. In 2013, we settled with grandfather and grandmother on a farm in Arizona who owned two beloved farm dogs: Bitsy; an Australian shepard, and Nikki; a black lab/aussie who I would patrol the farm with on my mini electric car. Midori joined in sometimes too. Sadly, Bitsy was hit by a car in 2014 and Nikki later passed away in 2017. By that time, we had already moved back to Texas and had been living there for several years.
It was in my Texas home when my animal-related interests shifted into new territory--snakes. I'd always been fond of snakes, but now it was at it's peak. My local aquarium had a snake house and I had the opportunity to handle snakes of all shapes and sizes, from 12-foot. burmese pythons to 5 inch-long baby rat snakes. These experiences deepened my love for snakes and reptiles. For my 8th birthday, my parents (reluctantly) got me a baby caramel cornsnake who I named Hershey. Me and that little snake had many adventures and I enjoyed making videos about him and teaching people about snakes and how they can be very gentle and docile despite the many negative perceptions about them. I even participated in a Halloween snake presentation alongside my dad and taught trick-or-treaters about their true nature. I also got into photography, where I won several Awards of Merit for my photographs of my pet snakes. Over the course of my time in my Texas home, my dad had gotten another snake named JoJo (after Sir Jojo Getback by the Beatles) Around that same time, I fell in love with greyhounds, admiring their speed and resiliance. I watched greyhound races religiously (before I discovered the cruelty behind them. Our rental home at the time did not allow dogs or cats and my childhood dog Midori had passed away by that time and I wanted my own dog. So, I created an 'imaginary pet greyhound' who I named Max and took everywhere with me. During that same time, I became infatuated with werewolves and werewolf transformations; specifically American Werewolf in London. I even went as a werewolf one Halloween.
Following that phase, I discovered the Wolf Conservation Center, a center devoted to educating the public about wolves and saving endangered species. When I learned that wolves were being brutally hunted close to extinction, I was determined to help. I began my advocate journey by learning more about wolves and their conservation; the WCC is my favorite organization. One of the resident black-phase gray wolves at the Wolf Conservation Center named Zephyr caught my eye. I adored his stunning golden eyes and black fur. I desired to protect other wolves just like him--and where Zephyr became my provocation for advocacy. Once I learned a little about wolves, I shared this information with friends and family and enlightened them on why wolves are essential and how to protect them. There were moments when it was challenging, especially with legislation aimed at eradicating wolves from the landscape. As I got older, I launched campaigns, signed petitions, continued education and launched my organization, Conserving the Wolves.
Throughout these years, I experienced excitement, heartbreak, and hope. Zephyr, my motivation and the very first wolf that I symbolically adopted passed away in July 2022. Since then, I have created petitions, communicated with lawmakers, and become affiliated with numerous pro-wolf organizations--including the Wolf Conservation Center. My most prominent campaign was the condemnation of Cody Roberts, who tortured a young female wolf in Wyoming in early 2024. My organization's campaign, which was aimed at charging Roberts with animal cruelty and outlawing 'wildlife whacking' garnered over 50,000 signatures. I've had several amazing opportunities to be up close to these amazing animals and take a trip to Yellowstone National Park alongside a wolf biologist and good friend. I greatly appreciate having so many amazing sponsors and volunteers supporting me in my mission. I am still young, and there are so many things I want to pursue relating to wolf, coyote, and wildlife conservation. There's a lot more to come!"
-Ivy
