I’m Vincent D. Cat and here to make you happy! You are HEROES! You work hard every day and you deserve to smile every day! Those of you working to save us animals hear so very many very sad things. And there’s lots of very glad things too and that’s what we talk about here! All pawsitive all the time! I want my friends to be happy and smile and know there’s a lot of good - including YOU - in this world!! Be kind and pass it on! Please send me your Good New and Fun Stuff to share, personal or global. Let’s keep it fun and interactive!! After all, if we couldn’t laugh, we would all go insane! Vincent@RikkisRefuge.org
SPECIAL VINCENT ALERT
Our beloved friend Jan just lost two of her kitties within two days of each other. Peter a lovely black kitty who’d only lived with her for four years had sudden acute kidney failure. No amount of money and no amount of doctors could save him and he went to Rainbow Bridge. Jan had found Peter, thin, hungry, beat up and alone begging for a hand out at her vet’s parking lot four years ago. Nobody claimed him. But he claimed Jan’s heart very quickly. He was a older gentleman and very dignified.
Topsy had been Jan’s companion for many many years. He’d been thru all kinds of problems and illnesses while his vets mended him and patched him up. But last week, at the age of 21, there was no more mending possible and Topsy crossed the Rainbow Bridge to be with Peter.
Jan was devastated at the loss of her boys, especially so close together, so she came out to Rikki’s for some good fur loving. I, good old Vincent D. Cat, hugged her and purred for her and she loved and hugged the hospital patients. She saw how many here are being helped and how much money it takes to patch them up and mend them.
Later, back at work, Jan was telling friend and co-worker Alyce how no amount of money could keep Peter and Topsy from crossing the Rainbow Bridge.
PS. This photo is from last Halloween!
Soon Kent joined in the conversation and the proverbial light bulb burned bright. Let’s help save animals at Rikki’s Refuge! Jan told the story of three kitties who’ve needed a lot of medical care lately. Weekly visits to the doctors, expensive medicines, and all are purrfect candidates to be restored to full health and tough they may need extra medical attention all their lives, they can be happy and have wonderful lives at Rikki’s Refuge.
So Jan, Alyce and Kent pooled $1,500 together in a challenge to help pay Boo’s, Princess Orange’s and Mystique’s medical bills.
YOU donate what ever is comfortable for you, $1, $5, $20 or $100, and they will match it, up to $1,500!!! The result? HEROES like YOU and Jan and Alyce and Kent will be raising $3,000 to help Rikki’s cover medical expenses!!!
http://rikkisrefuge.chipin.com/healthy-kitty-fund
Here’s who you’ll be helping. And if there are extra funds they will be used for medical expenses for some of the other animals. Hushey and Lucky, two elderly doggies who’ve had rough pasts and who’ve been living happily at Rikki’s for years, are really getting on in age and need lots of care and medications for their arthritis. Paul Pigeon has an eye infection. Percy a leukemia kitty is being treated for a skin problem. Candy and Gretta, horses, are ready for their annual vaccinations and check up. These and many many more animals need your help.
Mystique
Mystique has been with Rikki’s Refuge since she was about 4 weeks old. Tiny and sick, she arrived with her siblings. They have genetic problems, probably caused from a mom that was too young (Speutering would have prevented this), malnourished and sick. They’ve been lovingly cared for by our doctors who work many miracles. But sometimes their magic wand runs out of power. Over the last year, all of Mystique’s siblings have been called to the Rainbow Bridge. Mystique is doing very well and is recovering from an eye condition that caused her to suddenly lose her sight. Thanks to quick and expert treatment at Culpeper Animal Hospital, on her second check up for her eyes, she jumped to the doc’s shoulders and across the room to the counter. Well, that was proof her eye sight was coming back. She’s still under treatment for several more weeks. Help us, help her to recover 100% of her sight!
Boo
Boo had been a world traveler and outdoor kitty when his folks came to lie in the DC area. Being older and getting injured, their new home was no place for him to roam. He joined us at Rikki’s and we’ve been watching an old stable injury in one eye. Recently there have been some changes in that eye requiring medical attention. There’s no way to restore sight in that eye, but we can keep it comfortable. It’s being monitored closely by experts and if it becomes painful will have to be removed. Boo has also suffered some rough allergies this season and needed treatment for that. Even tough his life in the past was that of a fast outdoor tom boy, he now prefers to lounge on a soft quilt in the sun inside the 9th Life Center. He has a kitty door letting him out to the day run for fresh air and weather, though he hardly ever ventures outside!
Princess Orange
Princess Orange and her brothers joined us late last summer after their hooman dad died. They were totally terrified. All alone in the big world without their daddy they didn’t know what to do. A kind neighbor felt sorry for them and trapped them and brought them to Rikki’s. They were outside at their house and too afraid to even come in. The kindly neighbor and their daddy’s family didn’t want them to be split up, and at Rikki’s Refuge we never never split up families. We think that family bond is a very important thing and could not imagine doing more emotional damage to an animal family who’s just gone thru the trauma of losing their human family. Not long after the family had been here, Princess Orange’s eyes were blood filled one morning. Not like being bloodshot, not the whites of the eyes. It looked like the eyeballs had blood sloshing around in them, like you could see it thru the iris. Very odd. Mom yelled YIKES and called Culepper Animal Hospital and said emergency, I’m on the way. Turns out it was high blood pressure. She was put on medication which immediately fixed the eyes. Her blood pressure is now stable. On a routine check a few weeks ago we discovered that she’s quite anemic. We’re working on fixing that and so far lab work and tests haven’t turned up the reason for it. In this picture she’s thinking about coming out of her carrier after her last visit to the doc. When she does, she’ll run straight to her brother’s side and cuddle.
Please join Jan, Alyce and Kent in the race to save the kitties!!!! And their friends!!!
http://rikkisrefuge.chipin.com/healthy-kitty-fund
DO YOU HAVE ITEMS TO SELL?
Please see yesterday’s Good Morning Good News to see how Kathy and Kim are helping out with yard sales.
http://rikkisrefuge.blogspot.com/2011/06/good-morning-good-news-june-13-2011.html
Items needed, location, dates, times and contact information is there.
Also we CAN SELL BAKED GOODS. Please no icing or things that melt in the heat.
Thanks for helping us help the animals.
FATHER’S DAY SPECIAL
Melissa has helped Prince and Pop list two of their original Pig Paintings for Father’s Day!!! If you’ve got that dad that has it all .... well I bet he doesn’t have a picture painted by pigs!!!! Really truly painted by these piggies. And you’ll get a certificate of authenticity!!! Please bid. All the funds from these auctions, 100%, go to help the animals of Rikki’s Refuge. June is turning out to be a tough month and we need your financial help!!!
Surfing Painting by Father and Son Pigs
Just in time for Father's Day! What father would not want such a beautiful and unique gift? It's much better than a tie!
Vincent, the spokescat for Rikki's Refuge in Orange, Va., has gotten together with his friends, and had a day of painting!
This painting was painted by Martha and Prince, father and son Pot-bellied pigs.
I know, Martha is a girl's name, but Rikki's had a name the pig contest, and the winner chose the name Martha. What can I say? We never stated that it had to be a boy's name.
Anyway, the painting is titled "Surfing". The colors are purple and hot pink, on a green background. They used acrylic paints on a 12"x16" stretched canvas. The back has screw eyes for hanging. This is a one-of-a-kind painting. Comes with a certificate of authenticity.
There are many pot-bellied pigs at Rikki's Refuge. Why? Because people get the baby pigs as pets, not realizing that they can grow to be over 200 pounds. Also, they root, and that will destroy a beautiful garden in no time. They also have hooves, not soft, padded feet, and they can do plenty of damage inside a home. The pigs at Rikki's want to remind people to think very hard before adopting any animal as a pet. Think of your life several years from now, and will the animal still fit in? If not, don't get one now. Wait until you have the time, the money, and the appropriate home, for the particular animal.
Look for more paintings by Vincent and his friends! Make Rikkisthings one of your e-bay favorites, and never miss out on another chance to help Rikki's Refuge!
Oceans and Glaciers painting by Dad and Son Pigs
This painting is titled "Oceans and Glaciers". The colors are green and blue, with an iridescent glimmer (and a little mud) mixed in.. They used acrylic paints on a 11x14 canvas board. The back has been stabilized with a "frame" and has a hanger for hanging.. This is a one-of-a-kind painting. Comes with a certificate of authenticity.
Proceeds from the piggy paintings will be used to care for the animals of Rikki’s Refuge. 100%
DO YOU HAVE ANY FUNDRAISING IDEAS?
Please help us with these and other ideas you have for raising money to pay our bills and keep our animals happy and healthy. Pick one of these ideas or come up with your own. We’ll share your success story here!!! Yard sales, bake sales, tabling at events and at shopping centers, plant sales, these are ideas that can be done anywhere in the world and the proceeds sent to help the animals of Rikki’s.
Donations were terribly short for June and we’re struggling to get thru this stack of bills for medical care, medicines, preventative medicine, especially with flea and tick season here, food, shade tarps and umbrellas, electricity to keep the fans running, gas and diesel to keep the grass short .... Really in need of your generosity this June!!!
Love,
Vincent
Help me keep the wonderful refuge running!
http://www.rikkisrefuge.org/donate.php
PPS You tell me what you want! Email me at Vincent@RikkisRefuge.org with instructions to change your subscription: additions, deletions or modifications! Subscriptions: Vincent’s VIPs - up to the second alerts about issues at Rikki’s Refuge for those who care and want to be intimately involved. Scheduled as needed. Good Morning Good News - a little something to get you going in the mornings, for those of you who want to keep smiling with us! Scheduled daily. Hairballs - so you know what’s coming up at Rikki’s! Scheduled weekly.
Rikki's Refuge, supported solely by private donations, houses over 1200 animals of 22 species. On line at http://bit.ly/Give-a-gift-to-Rikkis Checks, money orders, cash, items at Rikki's Refuge, PO Box 1357, Orange VA 22960
Rikki's Refuge is owned and operated by Life Unlimited of Virginia, Inc., an IRS 501(c)(3) not-for-profit Virginia Corporation, tax-id 54-1911042. Combined Federal Campaigns #77674, Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign #3163, PetsMart Charities #1377. A financial statement is available upon written request from the State Office of Consumer Affairs.
Learn more www.RikkisRefuge.org and help spread the good word, tell everyone you know about Rikki’s Refuge
