“Looking into that wolf’s eyes was like looking into another world. The spirit in them took my breath away.” That is how PETA’s Jane Garrison described her first look at Timber, a wolf who had, until the moment he met Jane, lived in a place so far removed from where a wolf is meant to be, it was a miracle he had any “wolf” spirit left.

Let them go!
A few months earlier, Jane had written to circuses and other traveling acts, asking them to let some of the animals “retire.” One circus owner replied, “Tell you what, I’ll get rid of all the animals and close the show if PETA will buy it for $400,000.”No deal, Jane said, but leaping at the opening the man had given her, she paid him a visit. The owner showed Jane around. When she saw Timber and Jenny, Jane felt sick.

A sea of mud
The wolves lived in a bare pen just 6 feet by 8 feet long, smaller than a VW Beetle. Timber and Jenny were pacing back and forth along the fence. They could only run a few steps back and forth, back and forth.

Years of pacing had created a sea of mud. A filthy igloo-style plastic doghouse, stained orange by the mud, was barely big enough for one wolf. During thunderstorms, Timber would have to brave the terrifying thunder and lashing rain so that Jenny could stay dry. In winter, the wolves would huddle against the chain-link fence on a sheet of icy mud. In summer, the mud would bake in the sun and turn to dust, and the “igloo” would turn into an oven, providing no protection from the heat. Nearby were shady trees and soft grass, but they may as well have been miles away, as the wolves could never touch them, and shade didn’t reach their enclosure.

Eight years in a box
Jane’s heart broke to see the beautiful wolves turned into “nut cases,” driven crazy by never for a single moment during the past eight years getting to run, sniff, investigate, explore, or do any of the things that wolves love to do.

Jane begged the man to let the wolves go with her. At last, he agreed. When the day came to transport Timber and Jenny to a sanctuary, each was lured into a carrier cushioned with hay, and the carriers were then put into the back of a van. Gradually, when nothing terrible happened, both wolves settled down. Lulled by the motion of the van, they drifted off to sleep.

Into the woods
At their new home, the wolves were released into a heavily wooded, fenced acre with a cave carved out for a den. Timber whimpered when he saw the bushes and trees. He rolled joyously on the ground while Jenny rubbed her back luxuriously against a tree. Home at last!

Hollywood Goes to the Dogs

These A-list celebs are known for their talent and good looks—they’ve also made PETA’s “H-list” for being real-life heroes for dogs who needed their help.

• Actor and PETA pal Charlize Theron, who stars in our video asking people not to buy puppies from pet stores but to adopt companion animals from animal shelters, found the love of her life in a small town near Naples, Italy. Orson was homeless, fending for himself—until Charlize saved him and brought him home to live with her in Los Angeles. (You can borrow the video Charlize appears in about pet shops and puppy mills from PETA.)

• Television’s Will & Grace star Eric McCormack, who lives with three dogs, really cares about canines. The hunky actor dashed through busy L.A. traffic to rescue a lost dog, who was eventually returned to his grateful guardians.

• Matrix star Carrie-Anne Moss is an action hero for animals. She and her husband, Steven Roy, wouldn’t turn away from a pregnant stray dog they discovered on the streets. They took her in and eventually found good homes for her five puppies. Carrie-Anne and Steven kept mama, now named Soups.