We are very proud to celebrate an extraordinary achievement by our trustee Wendy Furness, who is also a vet, entrepreneur and inspirational advocate for the painted wolves.
Wendy reached a 1,000-day consecutive running streak on New Year’s Day, raising over £4,000 in support of the Painted Wolf Foundation.
Wendy’s passion for the painted wolves began in Botswana 20 years ago when she first saw them. She was drawn to their deep family bonds to each other, how they collaborate, work together and look after each other, even when one is ill or injured.
As a vet, Wendy has always been committed to animals and her focus is now on conservation and wildlife projects. She and her husband Michael both volunteer at Maun Animal Welfare in Botswana, implementing vaccinations that protect painted wolves, domestic dogs and people.
As a member of our Pack, Wendy brings her significant expertise, entrepreneurial skills and dedication to painted wolves to the PWF team. That same dedication has seen her run though the wilderness of South Luangwa National Park while monitoring painted wolf packs and, for safety reasons, keeping an eye out for other animal tracks too!
Her passion for the species drove her to keep running even when she faced some serious challenges. She ran through a 10-day bout of dysentery, the rainforests of Sumatra, on ice in Japan and in the frigid -20 degrees C of Finland.
One of the reasons Wendy chose to dedicate her 1,000 days of running to the species is to raise awareness for their plight and to show people how remarkable they are. Wendy says, “I think we have a lot to learn from painted wolves. They are the ultimate collaborators, have great communication and greeting systems and look after everyone in the pack – they even give babysitting roles to those who can’t hunt. Their strength is working together.”
Wendy’s astonishing 1000-day streak is an inspiration, showing how consistent individual action can help secure a future for painted wolves. https://www.gofundme.com/f/running-for-1000-days-for-painted-wolves
