Lodi Township sanctuary caught in controversy regarding wolf-dog enclosure

An animal sanctuary that’s called Lodi Township home for the last two decades is caught in controversy.

Since summer of 2022, the Creature Conservancy has been caring for a wolf-dog hybrid named Harry. Harry arrived when his owner, on road trip from Indiana surrendered him mid-route. The Creature Conservancy’s Director, Steve Marsh says with Harry being mostly a wolf, he needs space to run, roam, and relax.

Especially in the hot Michigan summer, and bitter winters, with the enclosure planned with three dens for Harry to take shelter. In the summer of 2023, The Creature Conservancy started constructing what they intended to be a 1000ft long enclosure for Harry, but for almost a year, construction has stopped. It’s because Lodi Township says the Conservancy hasn’t abided by township zoning ordinances.

Now they’re stuck in what they’re saying is a procedural snafu, that started when neighbors saw the enclosure fence going up.

Neighbors and the Conservancy’s Director Steve Marsh both separately told 7 News Detroit at first they were hesitant about Harry, with him being mostly wolf.

Marsh said they even said "no” when they were first asked to take Harry in two years ago because he’s a wolf-dog hybrid.

“Wolf hybrids can be dangerous. There’s a reason they were banned in this state,” said Marsh. He added, "it’s [a] genetic lottery."

But in Harry’s case, Steve said they got lucky.

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“We have something that looks just like a wolf who acts like a golden retriever. You got the golden retriever brain and the wolf body,” Marsh said.

In May 2023, the Creature Conservancy began constructing a 1000-foot-long enclosure that runs along two sides of the facility’s horse pasture. The plan was for there to be three separate areas all connected by gates that could be opened creating one 1000-foot-long enclosure.

With the gates closed they planned to move Harry between the three areas for his enrichment. Each of the three modules also planned to have an earth-covered den structure, that will look like a hobbit hole for Harry to shelter from the elements.

Harry is the Conservancy’s only wolf-dog hybrid, but they do have other canines on site. Harry has an emotional support dog, Sally. There is a dingo and Marsh’s dog will also come visit Harry. Dogs being boarded by the veterinary clinic on the same property also will visit the finished portion of Harry’s enclosure, but Steve says the enclosure is meant to house Harry while the others come and go.

Only one of the three connecting areas of the enclosure was completed, as construction has completely stopped. It’s because neighbors on the other side of the fence, unhappy with its placement, looked into Lodi Township’s 471 page long Zoning Ordinance.

The neighbors wanted to keep their identities hidden.

"The issue that we’re having is that they built a double 8-foot fence, 3 feet within the property line,” they said. The neighbors continued, “We believe it should be 30-foot minimum with underlying setback on the Township guidance."

Neighbors also said they let Steve know how they felt back in May of 2023 when the fence posts were going into the ground.

"We had talked to Steve as he was building it. We have text conversations saying 'Hey you might want to check these setbacks. It doesn’t appear they’re within the setbacks of the Township’,” they said.

These neighbors also say they have no issue with the Conservancy itself, and like living next to it. They also said their concerns aren’t with Harry being dangerous, or loud, it’s just the fence’s proximity to their property. After realizing the fence did need approval from the Township, Steve says they did apply for and get approval for the double fence.

Then they started building Harry's first den structure.

“This structure, per county doesn’t need a permit. It just needs a zoning compliance permit that says you’re far enough off the property lines,” said Steve.

Steve explained that because of that county direction, the dens were not included in the site plans submitted for the fence approval.

An October 2023 email from the Township to Steve explains the Township’s attorney deemed the doghouse structures a bigger change to the site than just the original fencing.

The Township Ordinance also says under Section 55.17 Accessory Structures, A. 2., says “Construction, altercation, or relocation of structures accessory to non-residential uses and up to 120 square-feet in floor area shall be subject to Zoning Compliance per Section 57.04 (Issuance of Zoning Compliance Permits).”

Section 57.04 then reads, “no site shall be used or structure erected, moved, enlarged, altered or demolished until the owner or occupant has applied for and obtained a zoning compliance permit from the Township.”

That decision required the Creature Conservancy to submit an additional site change application and pay additional application fees, wish so far have totaled about $4,000.

"I feel like there’s been a lot of goal post changing.” Steve continued, "it’s bleeding the Conservancy. We’ve spent tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees. We’ve spent tens of thousands of dollars in engineering fees to comply with whatever the Township wants us to comply with.”

The Township denied requests for an interview, but sent the following statement in regard to the quagmire:

Copper Leaf Crossing and The Creature Conservancy have been and are a benefit to Lodi Township and it’s residents in general and I would hope to be able to continue to cooperate with them to promote their continued success to the benefit of the community. However in order to promote fairness, the Township Zoning and other Ordinances must be applied consistently to all residents, including Copper Leaf Crossing and The Creature Conservancy. For example, if a resident with a home desired to add an addition to that home, before the addition was built, the Township would expect that resident to first obtain all the necessary approvals to assure the addition was built in accord with the law and also not violating the rights of any other resident. Similarly, Copper Leaf Crossing and The Creature Conservancy, has an approved Area Plan and various approved Site Plans. Expectations are that prior to making changes not consistent with those approved plans that Copper Leaf Crossing and The Creature Conservancy follow the procedures set forth in the law to amend its Area Plan and Site Plans in accord with the law. After such changes are approved by the Township is the proper time to implement the changes. By requiring all residents to follow the procedures set forth in the law assures that the law is applied consistently and fairly to all and that the rights of all Township residents are protected.

Neighbors have also followed this year-long saga.

"In the meetings I’ve been to, it was all of them but last Tuesday’s, it was just kind of put on hold until they got in their area and site plans,” said the neighbors.

Steve says they did submit those new plans. The Township refused to answer any questions, including confirming if they received the application with the den structure on it.

As of now, Harry’s den is still in limbo. The Creature Conservancy says they’re trying to comply with the Zoning Ordinance but to them trying to tease through the 471-page document for all the boxes they need to check has been confusing, to say the least.

One area they say they have issue with is the procedure flow chart in Section 42.100 Special District Approval Process, the phrase “submittal of application” is in two different steps in two very different parts of the process.

"If you can figure it out let me know. We’re just trying to what we’ve been doing for the last 15 or so years,” said Steve.

7 News Detroit reached out to Lodi Township for clarification on this process but they refused to answer any questions on the phone, and the hired outside consultant has not responded.