Very interesting educational introduction to start the tour off- enthralling and captivating experience. As you progress through the walk / tour, you are connected with each wolf & wolf-dog through their backstory and prior living conditions. Highly recommended- they should charge much, much more for the quality of experience they offer. Give it a try!! read more

Saint Francis Wolf Sanctuary - Wolf, wolf-dog, and AWESOME tour guide. - Animal Shelters Near Me - Navasota, Texas

Overall - You must go. Content of tour- Andy did a great job of our tour. So the tour consists of about a thirty or forty minute presentation.Where you're in a semicircle, and they talk all about the difference between wolves and dog wolves and what it takes to be able to have any of these creatures. They discussed so many things, but it is all educational and interesting. On premise: there isn't much available on premise, but if you take about a ten minute drive, you will find places to eat and places to get gas. You will, however find clean bathrooms and we'll find a pretty cute gift shop. There is even some artwork that the pups themselves have made. Value - 15 per person for all 6 and above. In general, I feel it is very worth it and you are there at least a solid hour if not longer. In general - everyone should go, they are doing amazing work, and its highly educational! Love it! read more

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Absolutely loved this tour! We were visiting from out of state and as a wolf lover, I knew I needed to add it to our itinerary. Lauren was an excellent tour guide, very knowledgeable and took all the questions we had! The wolves and wolf dogs were beautiful and looked extremely cared for! Would highly recommend this tour! read more

Saint Francis Wolf Sanctuary - Animal Shelters Near Me - Navasota, Texas

What a treat!! Andy was amazing in sharing stories about his wolves . It was so bloody hot out! But I still enjoyed the tour! Very thorough and interesting. Very nice experience!! Hope it gets cooler for the animals. Go check this place out!! And it's in such a serene place I didn't want to go back to the city!!!! read more

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Our host was very knowledgeable, my daughter enjoyed hearing the back stories and trying to determine which ones were actually wolves vs wolf dogs. They were clean, kept very well, obeyed commands and given liver for good behavior. Good place for kid groups, field trips or just lovers of wolves. read more

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I have taken two school groups (so far) to the Saint Francis Wolf Sanctuary. This is by far one of the favorite trips! Lauren does an AMAZING job of leading tghe tour and making us want to come back. As a teacher--and as a mom--I love this place! We love the mission and we love learning about the residents and their stories. The animals are extremely cared for and healthy. Everything about it is wonderful! read more

So cool to see many real wolves and wolf dogs! What a great facility with room to grow. Facility seemed in good condition and wolves all looked happy! read more

We took a beautifully scenic ride through the backcountry from Willis, it was nice, away from all the traffic. Prior to arriving we made online reservations so that the sanctuary could control the number of visitors. Tickets were very reasonably priced at about $12.50. When we arrived  there was a large parking lot  with clear signage and plenty of easy parking. We waited in the parking lot until the gate was opened and we were let in. When we made the reservation we were asked to be there 10-15 minutes early so that the tour could start on time. As we entered the sanctuary, we were asked to wait in the neat little gift shop with all types of little gifts, trinkets, art, apparel and a limited amount of snacks and beverages. We were asked to sign a waiver and wait for our tour guide. The tour starts with a brief video introducing the wolves at the sanctuary. After the short video you are lead out back to an impressive spread of land layout and cages in the distance, your then taken on a small walk to meet the wolves. The sanctuary has a mix of 12 wolves and wolf dogs and one dog. Each has a story, history and character. They will surely find a place in your heart and stay with you long after you leave the sanctuary.  They truly are magnificent animals. Our tour guide, Felica  was a fantastic storyteller. She held the attention of all the members of our group of all ages. There are benches available to sit as she tells you about each of the wolves. You can ask questions.  The whole place is very clean and the staff were extremely friendly.  There are bathrooms available.  COVID-19 masks required to enter the sanctuary and gift shop and when social distancing not available. Social distancing is possible, the tour is outdoor and there is plenty of room to spread out and still be part of the tour. Hand sanitizer provided. read more

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Very friendly, knowledgeable employees. Cool place. Clean and open. Went during the fall festival and plenty of parking

This is a definite bucket list destination and it's only just over an hour outside of Houston. The sanctuary is extremely well run and the staff are knowledgeable and caring. I took the VIP tour behind the scenes and it was worth every penny. We learned the background story of every wolf and how they were rescued by the sanctuary. They looked so very happy and content that you just knew they were living their best lives. This place is a must visit for the whole family. Also, visit the gift shop, the money all goes directly back into the sanctuary. read more

Lovely to see animals who can't be rereleased to the wild being taken care of by people who care about their well-being. Their website where we booked the tour gave the impression that the pens were over an acre big with space to run--that's not true. Always sad to see wild animals stuck in cages for life but sounds like this is better than the situations they were rescued from. The tour had a lot of information about each individual wolf/dog's story and how they came to arrive at the sanctuary. Wish there had been more education about how wolves became extinct in Texas and the effects of the ranching industry, and some info on how ranchers and wolves can co-exist. Lost opportunity for educating the greater Texas community. read more

The tour was above and beyond what we expected. The guide gives a detailed history of each wolf and their backstory. It was very informative and enjoyable read more

Pros: 1. Educational 2. Large gift shop with affordable items ( art - pottery, photography, jewelry, paintings by wolves; shirts; patches) 3. Options for time and money spent: camping $75 or campfire $30 experience (make your own s'mores and hotdogs at the campfire provided by staff; get a tour; Q&A about wolves); tour $10. Cons: 1. Currently in a small space with small enclosures but moving on up in 2020! 2. No touching or interaction with the animals 3. Portopotties with no sanitizer...Even more gross when considering everyone grabs their own hotdog and s'mores supplies on howl nights 4. No online gift shopping options yet 5. Tickets sell out in advance so book a couple of weeks ahead of time 6. Staff seem a little overwhelmed and seem like they could utilize volunteers read more

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Wonderful tour, they look after the wolves and you can tell they care about their well-being and rehabilitation. Lovely thing to do on our road trip from Houston to Dallas. Thank you. read more

So I drove all the way out there for a VIP tour. Like close to 5 hours total. I've been to wolf and wolfdog sanctuaries all over the country. They are truly beautiful animals. Let's get to the point: the VIP tour is overpriced and not worth it. So we have to pay $140 (with tax) to do... free labor? We were instructed to stuff raw fish in toilet paper rolls for the tour guide to give to the wolves. That was the $123 difference between the normal tour and this tour. Also we got to see meat refrigerators. Not the inside of the fridges. Just the outsides of them. Lol cool. Also they had weird rules, like no filming videos, just photos. I think the tour guide was kinda racist because she never really looked me in the eyes or talked at me directly, but she looked at everyone else. Weird. I guess that's what you get in the South. There aren't many wolves. I like that the sanctuary seems to respect the animals quite a bit. There are a couple overweight wolves, which is of concern. Like really overweight. Is overfeeding them beneficial for their health? I've never seen wolves that fat before. The cages are... decent, but still a bit small. I've seen bigger. I like that the bathrooms were clean. I like that the place looked overall well-maintained. It was a short tour, and I'm not sure it was worth the price. I don't think I'll come back here. I'd rather give a donation, have a cheaper tour and have the tour be more in-depth. YouTube showed other tours getting to interact with the (calmer, more people-friendly) wolves. Why wasn't that a thing when we visited? Overall, it was an interesting experience, but this was by far, the least interesting wolf sanctuary I've ever been to and the one to which I am least likely to return. read more

The tour was fun and informative! I loved seeing the wolf dogs and wolves. I learned quite a bit. Ashley was a great guide. You can tell she has a lot of love and respect for the animals. The gift shop was small, but cute. It is great that they had pictures, stickers, and postcards of their animals available for purchase. Even artwork made by the wolves. Pretty neat. If we are ever in the area, we will definitely come back for another visit! read more

They make you sign a waiver when you show up and it's not for the fear that a wolf attack may happen; it's to ensure you don't sue them when you die of boredom from the tour guides. Spending 20-30 minutes sitting at one cage going over the wolf's backstory set the expectation for the cages we were going to have to go through. I understand guided tours, I get you're passionate but I just wanted to go see some wolves, not a 2 hour tour taken up by a tour guide who wants to give you every single detail of the wolf's backstory. My kids were getting cabin fever sitting on some benches listening to the tour guide go on and on; we eventually left after the third cage and couldn't stand another second listening to the same schtick cage after cage. read more

We really enjoyed the wolf sanctuary. It was nice hearing each wolfs history and it made me happy to know they are in a safe place. The drive out to the sanctuary is very nice as well. The visit made a nice family day adventure. read more

Saint Francis Wolf Sanctuary - Feeding the wolfs their frozen treats - Animal Shelters Near Me - Navasota, Texas

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One of the best run animal sanctuaries I've seen. Administration and staff are wholly dedicated and trained for the best perpetual care of these deserving animals. In the many times I've visited, it was absolutely heartwarming to see these once neglected and abused animals healthy and happily playing. Sanctuary is certified by the USDA. It has my support and I highly recommend it. Cindy Price, Naturalist read more

I love St Francis. I've been twice and planning to go again in April. The guide/care takers really know their stuff, like college degrees in wildlife care. Realize this is a sanctuary for wolves and wolf dogs that were rescued from the pet trade. They are not wild wolves that aren't able to be "back out in the wild", but "tamer" animals that the sanctuary are building a way of life that gives them the opportunity to have a pack bond, but still some human interaction. The tour is awesome. So much info. The guides are up in the latest scientific knowledge of wolf behavior. The gift shop is VERY nice, buy the art, either the wolf made, or human, it's locally sourced! read more

Absolutely Fantastic Tour! Our party of 11 enjoyed it very much. Our guide, Nicole was very informative about the behaviors and characteristics of the wolves and wolfdogs. We all learned so much from her. Hearing how each of them came to be at the sanctuary was also very interesting. The tour is under cover and there is benches along the whole length of the enclosures. This non-profit can be supported through your Amazon smiles account and your Kroger shopping card, at no extra charge, just registration. Super easy. With the small number of wild ones left, it's nice that they have a somewhere to be placed, rather than put down. Gift shop had alot of cute mementos to purchase. read more

If you are looking for things to do and the Montgomery / Dobbin area you will find very few opportunities! Visiting they St. Francis facility is enlightening (and they do give professional tours) I find it a shame that a lot of the animals are not actually wolves. I am a huge proponent of education, it is difficult for me to promote a facility that keeps a volunteer staff on hand and charges for toura to build larger enclosures when they are not exclusively for wolves. read more

I absolutely loved this tour! We took our girls here after seeing it on "The Vet Life" our guide was super knowledgeable and fun! You can tell they really love and value these animals! I will def be visiting the new facility when they move! read more

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These guys are doing great things to help wolves! They're incredibly informative and very entertaining to listen to; makes for a more enjoyable visit than expected. The wolves are so beautiful, and comical too! It really was a joy to visit. Please consider a trip out here as it's well worth it and you'll be helping the wolves as well! read more

We took the VIP Tour with Sabrina today. The grounds are beautiful with a pond and a large seating area around a fire pit used for educational purposes. The tour was very informative, and we got to present treats to the wolves. The animals look very well taken care of. Their meals are nutritious ( we got to go into the kitchen), and they receive behavior enrichment sessions. We received background information on all the animals. You definitely get the sense that this is a serious and legitimate sanctuary with the rescued animals as their top priority. Go support them! read more

Am in love with the wolves, I went to take the tour and came back two week later for the camping night it truly is a delight hearing them howl read more

I was really impressed by this place, and enjoyed it more than I expected. They are obviously very knowledgeable about wolves & their care. They put a lot of thought into the facility, and I'm sure the new facility will be even better. Our guide, the assistant curator, was very patient in answering the dozens and dozens of questions our kids asked. Also, it was steamy outside when we visited, but the ceiling fans in the breezeway made it bearable. The tour consists of going from one enclosure to the next, listening to stories about the wolves in their care (and info about wolves in general). Things to know: please read the website. One person in our tour group brought preschool-age kids, and they were a little too young to follow the rules. The tour lasted a little over an hour. There is a great little gift shop; spend a few $ there and support their mission. Souvenir t-shirts were $20; other items were available at many different price points. read more

Nothing but total respect for the kind and smart folks caring for these animals. Wolves/wolfdogs and dogs here, the tour will teach you the differences. None can be released to the wild. Very knowledgeable tour guide. Only suggestion I'd make is to use the opportunity of interested visitors to educate on history of predator eradication efforts led by ranchers. And ongoing resistance to wolf reintroduction. But 5 stars for sure! Visit and learn. read more

We stopped by on a trip to visit family in Texas. It is a little out of the way, but since they house wolves and wolf dogs I understand why. The facility is rather new and quite nice with plenty of parking and a gift shop. They have a number of items personalized with the wolves that are actually housed there. The staff were very knowledgeable about each animal, their history and wolves overall. It's obvious the entire staff is very dedicated to the care of these wolves and it's good to see good people doing good things for them. read more

Great visit today! Make sure to book an appointment online ahead of time because their tours book up. We booked a week in advance. read more

Saint Francis Wolf Sanctuary - Animal Shelters Near Me - Navasota, Texas

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Took the kiddos here and it was so much fun! The staff was very knowledgeable. LOVED hearing the background on all the wolves/wolf-dogs! What a beautiful place! Highly recommend! read more

We visited this beautiful facility and we all enjoyed learning about the wolves and all that goes into taking care of them. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for something different to do this summer read more

Since forever I've wanted to see wolves in person. Even though I couldn't get to pet them I understand why. So much respect for this sanctuary and all that they do. I definitely had a wonderful time. Learned a bit more of my favorite animal and each one of their personalities and their individual stories. While we had hot dogs and smores, we got to ask any questions we had and heard them howl a few times. Definitely loved camping sleeping under the stars which were beautiful without the light pollution. As I woke up 3 different times in the middle of the night to them howling. Then I joyfully woke to them howling a few more times this morning while packing up. So much better in person! You have no idea how much this meant to me. I even started tearing happy tears leaving. I hope to see even more wolves in the future. I definitely recommend visiting this sanctuary and contributing to all that they do. read more

Saint Francis Wolf Sanctuary - Animal Shelters Near Me - Navasota, Texas

One of the best experiences, especially for kids. Great to learn fun the volunteers and meet the rescues. You will learn a lot

This is a MUST.SEE. Nicole was a great tour guide and clearly an ambassador for the sanctuary, and a great champion for the beautiful wolves and wolf dogs there. We learned so many facts about the different wolves that are in existence, and great backstories of each wolf that is there. You will fall in LOVE with the animals and get a better understanding of them. WORTH A DETOUR. read more

We heard about the sanctuary one day when a local Houston channel visited the sanctuary. We signed up for a Sunday tour and it was informative, educational and heartwarming. Each wolf and wolf dog has a story - it's amazing how the sanctuary has truly rescued these beautiful animals. Ashley was our tour guide and she thoroughly explained each wolf and wolfdog's pasts and the real life operations of the sanctuary. She was articulate, witty and always asked us if we had questions before we moved on. It's immediately apparent that those who work here truly deeply care for these animals. Highly recommend sharing this experience with your friends and family. read more

I was extremely excited about going to this place and taking my nephews to see the wolves. Once we got there, it wasn't as great as I thought it would be. it was basically just a dog kennel (yes, with larger kennels) and the tour guide was not very good. She stumbled throughout the entire presentation and my nephews (ages 7 and 9) were bored within 3 minutes of getting there. There was no interaction with the wolves at all...I know this wasn't necessarily going to happen, but still expected something. As excited as I was, I hate to say we won't be back. Not worth the time it took to get up there or the "expected" $10 donation per person. Overall, very disappointed. read more

This venue is a rare find. We went on a tour to see all of the wolves in residence. The tour guide was excellent! The wolves are actually the property of the state and the workers have a big job on their hands taking care of them. The wolves live in separate enclosures by themselves or in twos, they go on play dates, they have their furniture moved around, they are observed for behavior changes and changes in health. Very interesting and unique tour where we learned about wolves in general, personalities of wolves, innate behaviors, etc. A must visit. read more

An amazing home for such beautiful creatures! These wolves have been brought in from several different owners and situations, and are luckily in the care of St. Francis now. The lifestyle they have now compares to nothing they have experienced before; such dedication from their loving owner. Great place to visit, it really opens your eyes to happenings in the world. read more

We visited St. Francis Wolf Sanctuary today for Spring Break. It was an amazing experience. The shelter takes in wolves and wolf-dogs that are unwanted or mistreated. The animals are well-cared for and provided with stimulation and entertainment everyday. The highlight of our visit was the opportunity to pet one of the wolf-dogs, and the moment when all of the wolves started to howl! Amazing, well worth the long trip out to Montgomery! read more