Everybody had a favorite animal growing up. Do you remember what yours was?

Ever since I was little, I was always drawn to wolves. I think it's because my mom was such a big Kevin Costner fan, so I watched "Dances With Wolves" way more times than any kid should have. It is funny, though, because I was afraid of the wolf scene from Disney's "Beauty And The Beast." So, I was afraid of animated wolves but fascinated by real ones, go figure.

One of the coolest things you can do in the Garden State actually involves my favorite animal. Now, you don't hear of people having the chance to get close to anything truly wild. Wolves, to me, represent beings that are so in-touch with nature and so sensitive when it comes to the state of their world, that when I found out that we could actually interact with them, "no" simply wasn't even a thought in my head.

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There's a wolf sanctuary located in Jackson, right near Six Flags Great Adventure, called Howling Woods Farm. Its goal is to take-in wolf hybrids and wolf dogs that people think would have made great house pets. Spoiler alert: they don't.

While you may think it sounds cool to own a wolf dog or wolf hybrid, they're not just a bigger version of your husky or golden retriever. On the contrary. These canines have a direct lineage to wolves and are more in-tune with those ancestors than their domesticated dog DNA. Almost all of the canines in the care of Howling Woods Farm are over 60% wolf. They're all DNA tested with the certificates hanging on the walls of the shop.

Two wolves in their care, in fact, are over 90% wolf. So, don't let the word "hybrid" or "dog" in their name deceive you into thinking they're harmless. They're still wild animals.

In my opinion, they're the most intriguing and beautiful animals in the world. If you have a chance to go and take a tour, it's a 10/10 recommendation from me.

Get more information about Howling Woods Farm HERE.

Hang Out With Wolves At Howling Woods Farms In Jackson, NJ!

Did you know that there's a place in New Jersey where you can get up-close and personal to wolves? It's pretty cool! Howling Woods Farm is the organization and they teach you all about wolf preservation and responsible care for these animals.

Gallery Credit: Jahna Michal

LOOK: Here are the pets banned in each state

Because the regulation of exotic animals is left to states, some organizations, including The Humane Society of the United States, advocate for federal, standardized legislation that would ban owning large cats, bears, primates, and large poisonous snakes as pets.

Read on to see which pets are banned in your home state, as well as across the nation.

Gallery Credit: Elena Kadvany

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