Brother Wolf is facing a critical time in its history and the animals need YOUR help.
Through this quick overview, learn about our
recent leadership transition, financial state, decisions we’ve made about the sanctuary project, and our plans for embracing our roots to strengthen our mission to build and sustain No-Kill communities.
Leadership
Leah Craig Fieser began her job as Brother Wolf’s Executive Director in February 2019. She has extensive and diverse nonprofit and fundraising experience, and has been working hard over the past few months to understand the full scope of the organization.
Leah Craig took this position when Brother Wolf’s founder, Denise Bitz, moved on to pursue her passion of advocating for farmed animals. We’re grateful for Denise’s work that helped save the lives of thousands of animals in our community and beyond.
Adoption Center, Programs, and Services
Our Adoption Center on Glendale Avenue in Asheville is still open and will remain the hub of our lifesaving programs and services. This location is no longer for sale.
In 2019, Brother Wolf will impact the lives of approximately 10,000 animals in western North Carolina through:
- A mobile spay/neuter clinic that will perform 5,500+ surgeries to prevent animals from unnecessarily entering shelters
- A foster home network that will nurture over 2,000+ medically and behaviorally challenged animals
- A bustling Adoption Center that will find homes for 3,000+ animals
- A transport program that will send 1,500+ animals to loving homes throughout the northeast
- A pet retention programs will keep pets in their homes through behavior coaching, fence building, and access to our low-cost mobile spay/neuter clinic
- A Community Cat program that will greatly reduce the number of unowned outdoor cats through spay and neuter and help the cats live better lives
- A staff veterinarian who will allow us to provide medical care for our animals in-house, reducing veterinary costs while maintaining excellent care
Sanctuary
Unfortunately, due to a large funding gap, we will be selling the sanctuary property located in Leicester, NC. We’re working to find loving forever homes for the pigs and cows who reside on the land. All funds that were earmarked specifically for the sanctuary project were spent over the past four years on sanctuary expenses such as architect and engineering fees, permits, farmed animal care, project planning, etc. We have the components of the medical clinic building in storage, and we’re looking into creative ways to use it to best serve dogs and cats with medical and behavioral challenges.
Financials
Over the last few years, Brother Wolf has slipped into financial trouble, taking on too much too quickly, without sufficient planning. We are facing a funding gap of $975,000 this year. By selling the sanctuary property, we anticipate reducing that gap to around $350,000.
Our Future
We know it won’t be easy, but we’re working hard to regain financial stability and rebuild the trust and support of our community. To meet that goal, we commit to:
- Aligning every decision we make and every dollar we spend with our mission to build No-Kill communities for companion animals in western North Carolina
- Building a strong board of directors that has the professional skill sets and the organizational oversight we need
- Regaining community support and trust through relationship building with individuals, businesses, and other animal rescue organizations
- Accountability, transparency, and honesty with our donors, staff, volunteers, and community members
- Capacity planning so that our impact matches what we can realistically support as an organization and community
- Putting sound fiscal procedures in place for increased income and smarter spending to achieve greater stability
- Alignment with the greater animal welfare movement, and putting best practices in place to maximize our impact
- Strengthening our organizational culture and committing to investing in our existing programs and staff
- Setting a clear and attainable vision for the future
