Walking with wolves plan at animal farm

Officials at Hoo Farm Animal Kingdom will be bringing the wolves in as part of a new Extreme Animal Encounters experience which is due to open next year. David Crumpton, director of Extreme Animal Encounters, said visitors will be able to learn more about the animals and feed them.

They might even get into their enclosure with a fully trained zookeeper to walk with the wolves.

The idea has had a mixed response, with local resident Richard Ellis claiming the wolves could pose a safety risk and raising fears about the consequences if they were to escape.

But staff at the farm have said the wolves would be looked after by expert keepers and that visitors would not be able to get too close.

Mr Ellis, from Dawley, said that while he supports the work of the farm, he was worried about living so close to wolves.

He said: "The farm has gone from being a very nice family attraction to now, walking wild animals on leads, and what should happen should the wolves escape into the built up Telford estates, or worse bite or attack a member of the public?

"I don't feel Hoo Farm can offer such zoo animals the level of care and dedicated animal husbandry wolves require."

Mr Crumpton, who has been working with wolves for 13 years, said: "Wolves have wild instincts but there is no animal on the planet that come fully domesticated. Our wolves are captive bred and from respectable establishments.

"The only encounters which will involve our wolves will be wolf feeds at a secure and safe location with absolutely no contact between human or wolf.

"The wolf walks will only take place at the animal's and keeper's discretion. This will take place in a secure fenced-off zone with no admittance by anybody other than my staff and a select few visitors."