Shy Wolf Sanctuary awarded $4,650 SeaWorld Conservation Fund Emergency Grant for Hurricane Ian Recovery
(Naples, FL – Nov. 15, 2022) Shy Wolf Sanctuary Education & Experience Center is pleased to announce that the organization was awarded a $4,650 grant from the SeaWorld Conservation Fund. The relief effort was part of an Emergency Grant made to 10 Florida zoological and wildlife rescue organizations impacted by Hurricane Ian.
“SeaWorld is proud to support our fellow zoological and rescue facilities affected by Hurricane Ian,” said Dr. Chris Dold, President of the SeaWorld Conservation Fund. “We are all part of an essential wildlife care ecosystem, and we are grateful to have the ability to step up and help others who share our commitment to protecting wildlife.”
“As our community recovers from this devastating storm, we have been actively cleaning up and restoring the Sanctuary for our resident animals,” said Deanna Deppen, Executive Director of Shy Wolf Sanctuary. “We are excited to receive a grant from the SeaWorld Conservation Fund to assist with this ongoing effort that will take months to complete.”
Following Hurricane Ian, Shy Wolf Sanctuary worked with its partners in Collier, Lee, and Charlotte County to support the rescue of captive-bred exotic and non-releasable wildlife. The sanctuary serves as a home to rescued animals, providing them with necessary care and treatment. Animals are evaluated and those deemed pet quality are placed for adoption to forever homes.
The Sanctuary is also making plans for a campus expansion, which will have a CAT 5 hurricane shelter to protect Southwest Florida’s pets and animals in future storms. This shelter will be designed to house the Shy Wolf resident animals as well as the pets of community members and first responders. The organization has a kick-starter campaign on GoFundme to jumpstart the design and site development.
About Shy Wolf Sanctuary Education and Experience Center
Shy Wolf Sanctuary Education and Experience Center, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, was founded in 1993, and has rescued more than 1,300 animals – many abandoned, neglected and abused – while connecting with the public to share the healing power of unconditional love. Tens of thousands of people from around the world have supported the mission, and Shy Wolf partners with other nonprofits for its Healing Hearts program, helping people who have experienced trauma to find a transformational bond with the animals.
About the SeaWorld Conservation Fund
Established in 2003, the SeaWorld Conservation Fund, referred previously as the Fund, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit private foundation that supports grassroots conservation projects that make a difference in species research, habitat protection, conservation education, and animal rescue and rehabilitation. It has provided more than $19 million in grants to provide financial and scientific support to 1,391 different marine and land-based animal conservation and ecosystem projects on all seven continents. More than 100 different species have been helped through these grants. Funding comes through a variety of sources including contributions by SeaWorld’s corporate entity, SeaWorld Entertainment, and from the parks via roundups at the register, merchandise sales, and special events. Corporate partners contribute to the Fund, and consumers can support the cause by making donations in the parks or online. SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. covers all expenses and overhead for the Fund. This enables it to return 100 percent of every penny donated directly to the projects supported. Grant applications are accepted annually, though 2022-2023 grant applications are by invitation only. Both one-time and multi-year support is provided for recipient organizations.
About SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment
SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment is a leading theme park and entertainment company providing experiences that matter, and inspiring guests to protect animals and the wild wonders of our world. The Company is one of the world’s foremost zoological organizations and a global leader in animal welfare, training, husbandry, and veterinary care. The Company collectively cares for what it believes is one of the largest zoological collections in the world and has helped lead advances in the care of animals. The Company also rescues and rehabilitates marine and terrestrial animals that are ill, injured, orphaned, or abandoned, with the goal of returning them to the wild. The SeaWorld® rescue team has helped more than 40,000 animals in need over the Company’s history. SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. owns or licenses a portfolio of recognized brands including SeaWorld®, Busch Gardens®, Aquatica®, Sesame Place® and Sea Rescue®. Over its more than 60-year history, the Company has built a diversified portfolio of 12 destination and regional theme parks that are grouped in key markets across the United States, many of which showcase its one-of-a-kind zoological collection. The Company’s theme parks feature a diverse array of rides, shows and other attractions with broad demographic appeal which deliver memorable experiences and a strong value proposition for its guests.
