"Loyalty"

More than a few times the animal guy and I have people say "I want to do what you do". We smile and encourage their love for the animals and nature, but usually they have just watched our program. Now we get the opposite too "No way I would do what you do- have you ever gotten hurt? That we hear a lot more if it is the rattlesnake program they have just breathlessly enjoyed! Our job our career is not just the shows, we dedicate our lives to these animals. Do you enjoy vacations, shopping sprees, fancy clothes...forget about it! On Saturday Larry had a Bigfoot program in Martinsville, Indiana and after our evening chores of feeding, washing baby bottles and baby bedding, cleaning cages finally about 8:30 - 9:00 PM it's finally our turn to eat and end our Saturday. Lar had stepped out to get Bailey our african serval cat and bring her inside for her dinner. The a cry of a freaked dog came from the front - it is Chloe our wolf and she had gotten her head stuck in the front gate. She is freaking so out I go without a thought but to help her.It was impossible the gate was so tight I couldn't get the lock out and the more I tried the more she seemed to freak out! I'm trying to free her when I feel Blake the male wolf fill his mouth with my bum. I realize that Blake is attacking me.Next flash he is on my shoulder, arm and all. I in surprise yell to Larry , who cannot come thru the back fence fast enough"Blake is attacking me and I cannot help Chloe!". I turn tail and run to the house- about that time the animal guy was in the fence and the wolf and he had their discussion man to man or wolf to wolf man, not what was planned on a Saturday nite or any nite! My rear hurt my arm was bleeding and I was glad that I had baggy pants on.By the way Chloe got her head out and ran right into the house and under our bed. She wanted no part of the animal guy's discipline. He had gotten grazed in the face and he was not a happy camper, do you still want to do what we do? Things happen around wild animals so if it is not to bad we have learned how to doctor bites and scratches but when I took my shirt off and some of me came off onto the sink I thought "That this is goin to leave a mark", and my bum hurt too!!Blood on the back, shoulder and bum...two bites. Blake thought I was why Chloe was crying, she was freaking and I am there and fierce loyalty to his wolf friend made him take me off of her, once I let go or was away from her he did not try to strike again. Kinda like , hey get away from her and to bite is the way he knew to get that done. How loyal the wolf is and I have to respect him for that. That is a powerful lesson to me. Some people would say "Get rid of him!'' "Put him to sleep!" "Kill him!", he put you in the hospital, "he has gotta go!" That is not our way, he was being a wolf, and that is loyal. So 8 stitches, 3 inside and 5 outside, canine holes in my rear and some good pressure bruises on both bites and boy does it hurt, not the stitches but the bruised and bitten rear end....ouchie-ouchie. The nurses and doc at the Putnum County emergency room were great. They knew the animal guy and one of the nurses had seen him when she was in grade school (man he is old....just kiddin'). Several nurses came in to check out the wolf bite, I guess they do not see that every day. By the way the tetanus shot hurt too so both arms are sore from needle shots, stitches, bruises and wolf bites , glamorous job huh? So you still want to do what we do?.........