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LA County increases support for program that helps youth through ‘wolf therapy’
Wolf Connection team member Edward Amaya sits with his buddy, Kenai, a male wolf at the facility, seen in 2021.
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Robert Garrova
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LAist
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LA County increases support for program that helps youth through ‘wolf therapy’
The L.A. County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to increase its support for a Palmdale nonprofit that helps the mental well-being of at-risk youth through what it calls "wolf-based therapy." LAist's Robert Garrova reports.
Topline:
The L.A. County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to increase its support for a Palmdale nonprofit that helps the mental well-being of at-risk youth through what it calls "wolf-based therapy."
Wolves? Yes, wolves. Wolf Connection employs the canines to help youth who are struggling in school or with their mental health and who may be in foster care. Young people spend time with one of the group’s dozens of wolves — always accompanied by a handler, of course. The idea is that by learning the animal’s story and about the dynamics of a pack, the humans can learn to deal with their own traumas and pick up new social skills.
County support: Supervisors on Tuesday decided to increase funding to Wolf Connection by $260,000 for fiscal year 2025-26. According to the county Department of Mental Health, the increased funding will allow the program to serve an additional 150 youth at the ranch in Palmdale.
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