The image depicts a wolf standing on a large tree stump, gazing to the right, with a dirt path and bushes in the background, set against a sunny day.
The image depicts a wolf-like animal with a thick coat, likely a domesticated dog, standing on a grassy area, possibly a park or yard, with a fence or other structure in the background.
The image depicts two dogs engaged in play, their mouths open, standing in a grassy field with trees in the background on a sunny day.
The image depicts two white dogs running in a dirt field, with one dog having a light tan coat and the other having a pure white coat.
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Wolf-dog sanctuary welcomes help with animal care in Dandridge, USA

Availability

  2026 

 Min stay requested: 1 month or more

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Details

  • Description

    Description

    Our wolf-dog sanctuary is located in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, where grey wolves once roamed free. We rescue wolf-dogs from euthanasia and provide them with a semi-natural environment where they can chase each other and run at full speed, climb atop their house to survey their territory, and nap under the shade trees. We need help to care for our resident animals and to keep their enclosures and the facilities maintained. Fundraising is needed as we rely solely on donations to fund our sanctuary operations, and experience with a nonprofit is helpful. Experience with large canids is also helpful.

    All of our wolf-dogs were formerly someone's pets. Part of our mission is to educate the public about responsible care of wolf-dogs as pets to reduce the number of abandoned and neglected wolf-dogs, and to discourage people from having them as pets. We are not open to the public, but we offer private tours by appointment, and we need volunteers to lead these tours. (We require English as your first language in order to be able to lead the tours). Tours are a great way to increase our educational outreach.

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Charity Work
    DIY and building projects
    Animal Care
    General Maintenance
    Help with Computers/ Internet
  • Interests

    Interests

    Charity work
    Animals
  • UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

    UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

    UN goals
    No poverty
    Zero hunger
    Good health and well-being
    Quality education
    Gender equality
    Clean water and sanitation
    Affordable and clean energy
    Decent work and economic growth
    Industries, innovation and infrastructure
    Reduce inequality
    Sustainable cities and communities
    Responsible consumption and production
    Climate action
    Life below water
    Life on land
    Peace, justice and strong institutions
    Partnerships for the goals
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    You will learn about running a nonprofit organization and fundraising. You will learn about wolf-dogs who are a misunderstood and wrongly feared animal, about their behaviors and why they do not make good pets. You will get to meet people from all over the country when you lead our educational tours.

  • Help

    Help

    We are a small nonprofit organization run by volunteers. We need help with animal care, socialization, grounds and facilities maintenance, running errands, marketing, fundraising and general office work. Experience with large mammals/canids is preferred. Wolf-dogs are naturally fearful of humans, and for this reason we request stays of 3 months+ to give the animals time to get to know you and be comfortable around you. This will help us accomplish animal care tasks such as feeding, scooping poop, mowing and weed-eating, as well as husbandry tasks such as brushing, nail trims, socialization, and leash walks.

    The daily schedule will vary, but the animals need to be given fresh water and food daily. Weekly enclosure cleanings and maintenance including mowing and weed-eating in warmer months. Some errands need to be run, and a drivers license is necessary. Correspondence with donors such as sending Thank You's and newsletters. Experience w/ fundraising and/or office work including marketing, social media & website updates would be helpful, as well as general administrative experience with Word, Excel, etc.

    Other responsibilities include cleaning the Visitors Center where Workawayer is housed (Must keep kitchen, bathroom and main areas clean at all times).

    We are not open to the public but we offer private tours by appointment. Workawayer will learn about our sanctuary and our resident wolf-dogs in order to effectively lead the tours and engage with visitors while providing them with education about wolf-dogs.

    Must be self-motivated and be able to work independently. Must be ok with living by yourself (The housing is located in the Visitors Center, and is not located in a private residence). Must be ok with handling raw meat and getting your hands dirty. Must be ok with living in a remote area. Listening to the occasional howling of our wolf-dogs is a bonus! We are located on Douglas Lake (seasonal access) which you can enjoy on your day off, and we are near Great Smoky National Park where there is an abundance of outdoor activities.

  • Languages spoken

    English: Fluent

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    Bedroom with full-size mattress, full bathroom and full kitchen. 1-2 adult persons. No smoking on the property. No pets. No children.

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    Located in foothills of the Great Smoky Mtns near Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge - lots of outdoor activities nearby. We are located in a rural area of TN approx. 15 mins to local town of Dandridge, 1 hour drive to Knoxville, 45 min drive to Pigeon Forge, 1.5 hrs drive to Asheville, NC.
    Please Note: We are located in a rural area and there is no public transportation nearby. You will need your own car to explore the local area.

  • A little more information

    A little more information

    • Internet access

    • Limited internet access

      Limited internet access

    • We have pets

    • We are smokers

    • Can host families

  • Space for parking camper vans

    Space for parking camper vans

    Smaller campervans are possible, with prior approval from Director. Electricity and water may not be available.

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    Two

  • My animals / pets

    My animals / pets

    Wolf-dogs

Host ref number: 971266655445

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Photos

The image depicts a wolf-like animal with a thick coat, likely a domesticated dog, standing on a grassy area, possibly a park or yard, with a fence or other structure in the background.
The image depicts two dogs engaged in play, their mouths open, standing in a grassy field with trees in the background on a sunny day.
The image depicts two white dogs running in a dirt field, with one dog having a light tan coat and the other having a pure white coat.
The image depicts a wolf standing on a large tree stump, gazing to the right, with a dirt path and bushes in the background, set against a sunny day.

Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host

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