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Meet Paul and Colette Pondella of Shadowland Foundation in Lake Hughes

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Paul and Colette Pondella.

Paul,  their Founder, has been rescuing wild animals and bringing them to safety his entire life. A dyslexic and troubled child, his education came from his innate connection to animals and nature. This gave him a sense of purpose that ultimately saved his future.

In 1978, at the age of 18, taking a judge’s advice to get his act together, Paul put his love of the outdoors to work and started mowing lawns, trimming trees…starting the most prestigious tree maintenance company in Los Angeles.

He became certified in CPR and First-Aid for animals, and assisted the SPCA in rescuing wild animals; in particular, wolves. After adopting Shadow and then Alaska, Paul started training them with the best wild animal trainer in the motion picture industry to prepare them for programs working with children. Shortly after meeting Colette, and inspired by Shadow, Paul’s lifelong dream was initiated… Shadowland Foundation.

Colette their Co-Founder, has been teaching and facilitating programs for children and adults since high school. Most of her career has been in the entertainment industry in NY and Los Angeles. In 2003, she began exploring a Spiritual path and is currently a Minister of Religious Science, and developing “Nature’s Path Healing Center.” Her Wolf Wisdom Spiritual Gatherings are open to the public on Sunday’s at 11 am. She is joined by a featured wolf while she talks about life lessons she is learning from the wolves.

Also, dyslexic and from a troubled home, she too developed a passion for animals and nature, and the outdoors became her sanctuary. Meeting Paul at this late junction in her life was extraordinary for her life’s mission and was fortuitous for her. On Valentine’s Day, 2009, they picked Takoda together and started growing their pack… rekindling the relationship between man and wolf. She is passionate about and dedicated to these beautiful beings, and wants to make sure that they are known, respected and appreciated for their invaluable contribution to the human species, the environment, and the planet.

Everything they have created has been designed with children in mind. “They are the pioneers and guardians of our future and armed with the truth, we know, they will certainly bring peace and harmony to our planet, forever. We see this happening in our lifetime.”

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
We have not had an easy road on any level, as many non-profit startups can attest to. First Shadow, our namesake was diagnosed with an inoperable, incurable soft tissue sarcoma at just 3 years old, before we even got started. Not taking a death sentence to heart we spent a year and a half implementing holistic and medical treatments to help save her life. We thought we had beat it, but unfortunately, she passed away 3 years later from complications the cancer created before we found the most successful treatment for her at the Veterinary Hospital at CSU in Ft. Collins Colorado.

Los Angeles City Animal Control issued us licenses to have the wolves, When the six puppies were born to us we discovered they had made a mistake and gave us the wrong certification and licensing. Without any apologies or leeway, they demanded we move or they would confiscate our pack. Basically, they evicted us from our home. In order to get the proper licenses, further research revealed that we had to move outside the city with 10 acres or more and procure wild animal permits. This was in 2010 at the height of the real estate crisis when banks were not lending and Shadow’s health was really compromised.

After more than a year of searching for the right property, Animal Control issued us a 6-week eviction notice 3 weeks before Christmas. With the help of a friend and supporter, we settled on a property in Lake Hughes, just up the mountain from Magic Mountain. Shadow, fell in love with it from the start and we heard her. In March of 2011, we made it through escrow with $40 left to our names and started our new lives.

We still had some hoops to jump through to get the permits we needed. We had to dig a new well as the one here had not been properly permitted back in 1969. Los Angeles County has been quite gracious and supportive all along which has been a blessing. The new well’s estimated cost was $35,000 and it took several years to accomplish. In the meantime, Shadow passed away that June of 2011. She left a legacy of tremendous dedication to life, our mission and our vision to save the wolves in the wild.

In 2013, we just barely survived the Powerhouse Fire that came raging over the mountain in the National Forest just behind us. The devastation to the landscape, the smoke and fire damage to our neighbors and the community, and the recovery time was difficult for the momentum of visitors to come see the wolves. I was a difficult and discouraging season.

We are committed and blessed to still be here “fighting the good fight” to keep wolves protected.

Unfortunately, the outlook for protections for the wolves in the current political environment is dismal.

Despite our efforts and the efforts of other environmental and conservation groups; wolves may not survive US policy. Europe and other countries are going out of their way to protect this new world-wide recovery, but the US is doing everything it can to eradicate them again.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Shadowland Foundation – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
We hand raised 10 Alaskan Timberwolves and socialized them to meet the public as a pack. We are an educational non-profit 501(c)3 organization and our mission is to teach about the true nature of wolves, “Educate not Eradicate.” Wolves are the only creature man has set out to eradicate on purpose for centuries, mostly due to false and misleading myths. We dispel those myths, teach about wolves in general, their history, their contribution to the environment, their role in keeping ecosystems healthy and their plight to survive man and special interests that do not wish to share the land with them.

We are the only business of our kind that combines an experience with meeting the wolves with a full educational program included. We have raised a magnificent wolf pack family where people can actually change their experience of wolves, not just their minds about them. We are extremely proud to be a part of wolf recovery and a great cause for man’s original best friend.

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
We are building a nature retreat Eco-park, a “forest within a forest” with an RV Park and comfy cabins for overnight stays. Paul wants build a reservoir as a backup water source for the fire department to use in case of another fire. Many of our neighbors lost their homes, animals and property damage due to a hotspot that they tried to put out. However, only mud not water was left in Lake Hughes.

We have a Big Red Barn that has been renovated inside to be a venue for conferences, parties, private and corporate gatherings, and wolf weddings. All to help bring more awareness to more people about the plight of wolves and how they can help.

We initially wanted to be a part of a re-wilding program, but it looks like they have halted them altogether in the states where they are needed. Just this month, the Senate Committee that oversees the budget for the Department of the Interior, stated that they will tell the USFW to “just list the endangered Red Wolf extinct” after the state of North Carolina refuses to protect the recovery program there and hold people who poach them accountable. The program started in 1980 and was showing great potential. There are approximately 45 left in the wild and will most certainly go extinct in just months with this new policy or lack thereof.

New Mexico and Arizona have successfully blocked the recovery of the endangered Mexican Grey wolf. If they continue their relentless law suits to halt recovery there, they may soon be extinct too. The first pack of 7 wolves in California since 1924 were poached this past winter, and the only other pack left in California now is the Lassen pack of 5; already being targeted by the livestock industry. Our wolves are too old now to procreate, but it is our hope and commitment to raise awareness of these atrocities against this magnificent species and save their future on our landscapes.

We already have programs for helping train dogs the wolf way, called “Wolf Sense”, Native American Ceremonies, Spiritual Healing Workshops, Yoga with Wolves, Wolves and Wellness for those recovering from addiction, trauma and PTSD. Every year we have an open house on Veterans Day called “Wolves and Warriors” and much, much more possibilities.

Pricing:

  • $50 for Adults
  • $35 for Children
  • $300 for a private visit for up to 5 people

Contact Info:

Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.

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