Wednesday, March 19, 2025 at 3:39 PM
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Wildlife sanctuary documents latest rescue

Wildlife sanctuary documents latest rescue
The Humane Society rescues of hundreds of foxes, raccoons, wolf-dog hybrids, skunks and coyotes from a fur and urine farm in Rome, Ohio. Photo courtesy of The Humane Society of the United States

KENDALIA, TEXAS — In January, Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation (WRR) received a call for help. The owner of a fur and urine “farm” in Ohio died and left more than 300 animals in extremely deplorable conditions.

This fur and urine farm, operated legally since the 1970s, was driven by one thing — profit.

Animals were either captured from the wild or bred at the facility, then used for their urine and fur. To collect their urine and to preserve the “quality” of their fur, the owner of the facility kept them in cramped wire bottom cages, completely exposed to the harsh elements.

When the authorities became involved, they found foxes, coyotes, wolf-dog hybrids, raccoons, skunks, pigs, and others trapped in deteriorating, wire-bottom cagesmany suffering from malnutrition, frostbite, and open wounds. Some had already died from exposure, while others were found still trapped in steel-jaw leghold traps scattered around the property.

A major rescue operation was launched by the Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International to rescue the animals at this farm and place them in accredited Sanctuaries and licensed Rehabilitation facilities across the nation.

In February of 2025, WRR rescued a total of 28 animals from this farm, including foxes, skunks and coyotes. These animals are now living peacefully at WRR’s Sanctuary in Kendalia, Texas, and will never be harmed, exploited or put on display.

Although the fur and urine farm these animals were rescued from has now been shut down, there are hundreds of other operations like it that continue to exploit and torture animals for profit.

To combat this cruel industry, and to share the story of the rescued animals’ journey to Sanctuary, WRR is releasing a multipart video series that documents:

• Milestones in their recovery, from their arrival at WRR to veterinary care, temporary housing at our sanctuary, and permanent placement into their enclosures.

• Photos and videos capturing their transformation — from the conditions they were rescued from to their first moments of relief.

• Media coverage and advocacy updates, including press releases, interviews, and ways that you can take action.

• Opportunities to help, from sponsoring a rescued animal to supporting legislative efforts that could prevent future cruelty.

Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation is one of the largest accredited wildlife sanctuaries in Texas. WRR was founded in 1977 by Lynn Cuny and has two locations — the main 212-acre Sanctuary in Kendalia and an intake and rehabilitation facility in San Antonio. They rescue over 10,000 animals annually, and, at any given point, have approximately 600 resident, non-releasable animals living at the Sanctuary.

WRR also operates a hotline that is available if an animal is in need of rescue, or if someone needs advice regarding wildlife. Each year, around 17,000 calls are answered to help animals in need.

WRR is a non-profit with a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) status. They are 100% donation-based and do not receive any government funds. WRR can be reached at 210-8798033 or by emailing: [email protected].


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