RIKKI’S REFUGE
HAIRBALLS AND HAPPY TAILS
HAIRBALLS AND HAPPY TAILS
The newsletter of thanks from grateful animals
to their beloved rescuers brought to you by
to their beloved rescuers brought to you by
Duke Thomas Peabody and Vincent D. Cat
Building a Better Planet
One Rescued Animal at a Time
portraits compliments of artist Wayne H. Morris
You can make Duke’s and Vincent’s job easier
We are the Happy Animals of Rikki’s Refuge
who so thank you for giving us the gift of our lives and the tools to build our Refuge. We represent all the animals, the world over, whose lives have been saved by kind and loving people just like you. Thank you for being an animal rescuer.
Table of Contents
scroll down
to your favorite parts!
The Shelter Challenge is
Back
Happy 14th -
Vincent D. Cat
Birthday Party - You’re Invited
Rikki’s is Multi-Species
You can help GW and Ben for FREE
Spring is in the Air
Dance of the Peacock
Victor Survives
Vincent gets Acupuncture
Timmy
and Henny Penny Play Hide Seek
It’s CATS vs DOGS 2012
!!!!!!
Will YOU give Vincent the chance?
Or will 2012 be the Year of the Dogs?
Lake-of-the-Woods First
Annual Dog Fest
Sometimes it takes a long
time .....
Why did Everybody move out
of Rabbit Rotunda 1?
Reston Pet Fiesta
Diana is a Princess
Public Hearing
Even with Leukemia
Memorial Day
Meet-the-Animals TOUR
Alumni Paddy Kat
Jack and Jill want to meet
you
Kitty Cuddle Time
Vincent Loves You
THE
SHELTER CHALLENGE IS BACK !!!
Here’s our chance to win $1,000 or MORE !!!! It’s real simple and it’s real free!! All you do is vote every day. The shelter with the most votes, wins the
most money !!!! If you’ll vote every
day thru June 17th we’ll win at least $1,000. But I need a vote from each and every one of
you to make it !!!
So please, please, vote daily. You can vote once a day from each computer or internet device you
have, phone, ipad, office, home and so on.
Please ask your family, friends and co-workers to vote. Every penny gets stretched so thin here at
Rikki’s - we need all the help we can get.
This is a fabulous way you can help for FREE !!!!
Win $1,000
for Rikki’s Refuge !!!
I NEED your
daily vote to win ! It's easy, and FREE. Just click the photo or here
and Enter
USA, VA, Rikkis Refuge
and then
enter the code it shows!!!
No
registration, no apps, no nothing - quick and simple!!!
This is
the Shelter Challenge - TOGETHER we can be NUMBER ONE !!!
Please
help me spread the word !!!!
Get all
your friends and co-workers voting!!
THANK YOU
!!!
HAPPY 14th
VINCENT D. CAT
And may
you have many more our dear boy!!!
Friend of
Vincent?
Love the
Vin-Man?
If YES ... continue reading ....
if NO ....
then disregard, cuz this is a special party JUST for Vincent’s very bestest
friends!!
APRIL 28,
2012
This Saturday
This Saturday
Get it on
your calendar NOW !!!!
Please
RSVP, very important, space is limited !!!!!
We put plans on hold while Vincent was sick, so we’re a
little behind schedule and working out details now. Check back frequently for up to the minute plans and details. And keep those prayers coming for Vincent to stay healthy!
Party from 1 pm to 4 pm
Games: Pin the Leg on the Kitty
Barkgo
or Mewogo (bingo)
Got any
other ideas?
Tours: Meet the Animals
Cake: 2 pm Fancy
Feast Cake for Vincent and friends
Hooman
cake too
BBQ and Pot Luck from 4
pm to dark
RSVP a must, Chief Ron will be doing veggie burgers
Please bring something vegetarian to share.
Remember, the refuge is vegetarian for all two legged
critters!
Half Moon Walk from dark,
about 8:30 pm to ........
We couldn’t schedule a Full Moon for the party so a half
moon will have to do !
Listen to the guinea pigs and pigeons coo as they settle in
for the night!
See the eye shine of the wild and feral cats!
Watch the pigs pile up in a heap to sleep!
Hear the hens sing gently and the roosters crow!
Listen to the dogs howl!
Hear the rhythm of the emus booming!
Be lulled by the frogs calling!
Our night time sounds will awe you !
You’re Invited to some or
all
Just remember it’s a MUST to RSVP, space is limited !!!!!
More Happenings
on Vincent’s Day
Opportunity to vote for
CATS or DOGS in the 2012 Election Race
For details click: http://rikkisrefuge.blogspot.com/2012/04/cats-vs-dogs.html
Or just go ahead and vote for Vincent now! http://rikkisrefuge.org/donate.php?purpose=Vote%20Vincent%20as%20Ruler%20of%20the%20Refuge
First showing of the
fabulous Signature Quilt !!!!
Check back for details and a photo. It’s gonna be a spectacular raffle!!!
For more details about Vincent's Birthday Party
PS !
Shhhhhhh: Vincent
doesn’t want to let it leak that, Kerry, his mom’s birthday is the same as
his. He scared people might bring icky
vegetarian things for her instead of delicious Fancy Feast for him. He says if you do have to give his mom a
Birthday Gift all she really wants is a vote for her beloved Vin-Man in the Cats vs Dogs Contest!!! http://rikkisrefuge.org/donate.php?purpose=Vote%20Vincent%20as%20Ruler%20of%20the%20Refuge
Rikki’s is Multi Species
Humans Included !
Do you count your blessings every day? I do!!
I’m thankful for all the parts I have.
Three legs, two eyes, ¾ of a tail !!!!!
Yes, so thankful to have them all. Sometimes we don't stop to think. To really think. Sometimes it takes just a little bit, an itty bitty bit, of our time or effort to really change someone else's life. Help me change two right now !!!!
Here are some Friends of Mine
I want YOU to help
GW and Ben
Plumb
They
live in Orange and they need your help !!!! No, they’re not asking for
a handout ! They’re asking only for your FREE vote of
confidence !!!!
Help them win a much needed handicap equipped van simply by
voting for them in this national contest.
It’s FREE to vote and you can vote once a day thru May 13th
from each IP address.
Faulconer’s Hardware in Orange is the best kind of Equal
Opportunity Employers on the wonderful planet.
The kind and loving Faulconer family’s big hearts give wonderful
opportunities to many differently-abled folks.
They are blind to the things that just don’t matter - they have eyes
only for the internal value of everyone!!!
A BIG hand to wonderful people like the Faulconers !!!!
GW works at Faulconer’s Hardware and he helps me ALL the
time!! Despite very very seriously debilitating handicaps he's right on the
ball, knows everything, is right there ready to help, and is the first to say
“can I help you?” Ben works at Virginia Tractor, and though I've not had the pleasure of working with him, I'm told he's as fabulous at his job as GW is at his.
GW and his brother Ben so deserve to win handicap accessible
van.
Only YOU can make it happen!!
To give them your vote, just CLICK here http://www.nmeda.com/mobility-awareness-month/heroes/virginia/somerset/1362/gw-ben-plumb
FILL OUT your name, email, don't worry about the promo code
thing, I'm working on figuring that out, and then I checked "other"
and wrote in "Supporter of these wonderfully productive handicapped
gentleman"
THEN answer the math question -- mine was easy, I had
just enough toes !!! 14 !!!!
CLICK that you agree to the rules (of course check the
fine print if you like, I did and it's ok with me).
THEN click VOTE !
You're allowed one vote from each IP address every 24 hours
thru May 13th - please please support these wonderful friends of mine !!!!
Please share !!!
Please come back every day and please ask all your friends
and co-workers to vote. It’s very
important for us to help improve GW’s and Ben’s daily lives.
It’s so easy to overlook the little bitty things we can do
to that make such a difference to someone else. Just a couple minutes of your time, now and every day, thru May
13th, could change their lives for years to come. !!!!!
If you’re on the go and the big long link is too much to
remember, you can start this simpler way
CLICK on ENTER TO WIN NOW
SCROLL down to the lower half of the screen and
ENTER last name of “Plumb” and Virginia
CLICK Search
THEN follow the above instructions !!!!
Thank you for helping GW and Ben
Spring is
in the air !!!!!
Dance of the Peacock
It sure is a beautiful spring isn’t it? I know, been a little chilly the last couple
days, but what wonderful weather we’ve been having all year!
It’s been a busy spring at Rikki’s Refuge. The grass is growing and growing !!!! This makes the sheep and goats and cows and
horses very very happy. The bugs are
coming out and this makes the chickens very happy !!! The sun is out and it’s warm and that makes the cats and dogs and
rabbits and guinea pigs happy. The pigs
are glad to be able to roll in warm mud again and the emus are laying bright
green eggs!!!! Another year is coming
in.
It’s a cycle of life as Rikki’s gets ready to celebrate 14
years of saving animals!!! Almost 1300
make their homes with us each and every day.
Many have been here our whole existence!!! Others have found kind and loving people to give them forever
homes, and new animals have joined us.
As we have the budget and volunteers to build more habitat, others have
been able to join Rikki’s Refuge.
You can always keep up with day to day news on the blog http://rikkisrefuge.blogspot.com/
Follow ME, Vincent D. Cat, on facebook http://www.facebook.com/vincent.cat
And subscribe to my special newsletter Good Morning Good
News, just let me know, Vincent@RikkisRefuge.org
I’ve been real sick this year and I’m working on building my
strength back up and gaining weight.
I’m eating Fancy Feast like crazy now and doing quite well!!!! Yippee.
This is my
brofur Victor
He’s a very very nice old man. He’s even older than me and he’s been having heart problems. Lucky our wonderful docs are real good at
fixing us up. Victor is doing real good
now too. He has to get his medications
adjusted from time to time.
It’s Rabies Year at Rikki’s Refuge. That means all the cats and dogs of Rikki’s
Refuge get their rabies boosters!!!!
All 700 of us !!!! Driving us
back and forth to the doc’s office would take a lot of gas. So our nice doc, Meredith Vargas who owns
Culpeper Animal Hospital, comes out and gives us our shots right here at
home!!! Isn’t that nice of her? I mean, it’s not that nice to stick us with
a needle .... but ... well .... you
know what I mean, right?
I’ve been
getting acupuncture
Nice Doc Andrea Kellum at Culpeper Hospital is the one who
sticks needles in me. But it’s ok, cuz
she gives me treats too !!!! And it
makes me feel better. My leg got real
stiff while I was so sick, cuz I spent so much time laying around. We’re working on loosening that up, as well
as fixing me up all over !!!!
I sure hope you can come to my Birthday Party on
Saturday. It’s going to be lots of
fun.
Timmy and Henny Penny Play Hide Seek
Timmy is one of Vincent’s side kicks. Timmy’s hind legs were partially paralyzed
when, at the age of about 4 weeks, he “fell” from the window of a moving
car. Thankfully another motorist say
the “accident”, stopped and picked Timmy up and rushed him to a hospital. With out immediate care he would not have
survived. His recovery was lengthy and
left him with partially paralyzed hind legs.
Timmy will now travel the Humane Education Circuit with
Vincent teaching kindness to all.
Henny Penny gets picked on by other chickens. I guess you could say she’s at the bottom of
the pecking order. The roosters like
her, a lot, and that’s not always a good thing. The hens will pick on her too.
So now she lives in Day Room A of the 9th Life Center. She’s very loving and friendly, follows
everybody around and loves to be held.
She’ll be joining the Humane Education Circuit this
spring. Her debut will be Saturday at
Lake of the Woods!
It’s CATS vs DOGS 2012 !!!!!!
We’re a
little late getting started this year, cuz your favorite candidate was in the
hospital. He’s out, got a great
appetite and going wild to Rule the Refuge for yet another year !!!!
Will
YOU give Vincent the chance?
Or
will 2012 be the Year of the Dogs?
Is that what all this 2012 nonsense is about?
Better keep Vincent on as the ruler to keep the
planet stable !!!!
It’s
up to
you !!!
Hear what the candidates have to say:
Vincent
has teamed up with Opie and Timmy
The Cat’s
Campaign Promises
1) Fancy Feast on every plate
2) Equal Rights for the handicapped regardless of species
Vincent lost a
leg twelve years ago in a traffic accident
Opie was born
last summer with out hind feet
Timmy’s hind
legs are partially paralyzed after a “fall” out the window of a moving car
3) We travel to teach Humane Education
4) Will buy your vote with Purrs for every supporters
5) Cats RULE, always
Duke has
doubled his effort this year
The Dog’s
Campaign Promises
1) Treats and Hooman food for all
2) Keep your critter for life
Jack, abandoned
because he was getting older
Baby Girl,
abandoned when the hoomans moved
KiKi, abandoned
as a pup for growing too big
Boomer,
abandoned when the hoomans moved
Duke, abandoned
in a city park, blind
Beauty,
abandoned for behavior
3) We will eat the treats you bring
4) Will buy your vote with Drool for every supporter
5) Dogs DROOL, well .... yeah .... we do ..... so what?
Cast your
vote NOW !!!
WHO will
it be for 2012?
Cast your vote to support the cats ......................................................................................................
or the dogs !!!!!
Click on the candidate you’re voting for
Votes of $100 or more will receive an 8x10 glossy
photo of their candidates (as shown below)!!!!
Click photo for Vincent
and the Cats Click photo for Duke and the Dogs
Or send your VOTE by check to
Cats vs Dogs 2012
Rikki’s Refuge
PO Box 1357
Orange VA 22960
be sure to specify CATS or DOGS
We’re ready for a debate!
Send in your questions (comment below), check back frequently for our
answers!!!
VOTE as often as you like !!!!
Ask all your friends to VOTE !!!!
Lake-of-the-Woods
First Annual Dog Fest
Rikki's Refuge will also be at the Lake-of-the-Woods First
Annual Dog Fest, Saturday, April 28th, 2012 from 11:00am - 4:00pm at the LOW
Equestrian Center. There will be live music, food, face painting, K-9
demonstrations, etc. Please come out and support this event. For directions: www.lowa.org/map.htm or more info: call: (540) 972-2238
Starting at 11 am, you can meet Mike the goat. He’s the guy who broke his leg on Earthquake
Day! He’s all healed up now and ready
to be a Spokes Goat !! If the weather
is nice and I’m feeling up to it, I’ll be there from 11 - 11:30 -- then I have
to come home for my very own Birthday Party at the Refuge.
Sometimes
it takes a long time
and at Rikki’s Refuge, we never stop. Mama and Sonny came in 2004, left behind by
their owners “cuz them dogs is gettin’ too old”. We saw the light in their eyes and over the years they became
icons of Rikki’s. EIGHT years later,
they got yet another gift. A real
forever home with wonderful people and a wonderful yard!
Your kindness and support make it possible for the old folks
to have a home for life. Be it at
Rikki’s forever ... of finally into a real home !!!!! A real home is always best but when it’s not waiting for you,
we leave the light on at Rikki’s Refuge.
Everybody moved out of Rabbit Rotunda One
Beautiful Rabbit Rotunda 2 is a lovely home and sure made #1
look shabby in comparison!!!! So all
the rabbits and guinea pigs and every moved into the new digs. We’re getting ready to do the renovations on
#1. If you’d like to help out, let mom
know: Kerry@RikkisRefuge.org Especially if you’re a landscape drainage
expert - mom really needs to talk to you !!!!!
Reston Pet
Fiesta
Rikki's Refuge will be at the Reston Pet Fiesta, from
10:00am - 4:00pm on Saturday, May 5th, 2012. for more info: www.petfiesta.org/
Diana is a
Princess
And has found her very own Prince. Once left behind, skinny, with thyroid problems, full of
parasites, with serious skin problems, cancer on an ear ..... but still purring
.... Diana has found her forever new home, where she’ll be treated like the
princess she is for the rest of her life!
Your support of Rikki’s Refuge make it possible for animals
like Diana to have a second chance.
Public
Hearing
On May 8th, there will be a public hearing about
Rikki’s Refuge, right here in Orange.
Remember the two office trailers that were donated to us by a church
last year? Well before we can use them
we have to get a Special Use Permit approved.
It’s been inspected and approved by all the county agencies that are
involved, approved by the Planning Commission.
This is the final public hearing with the Board of Supervisors. If you’d like to come to the meeting and
tell them how you think having nice office space for the humans to work in
would help things, and say please allow Rikki’s to use the trailers, contact
mom for the details. Kerry@RikkisRefuge.org
Even with
Leukemia
Dear sweet Libby gets a home of her own! Not real fond of other kitties, but loving
to ride on the shoulders of humans, poor Libby was going to die because she has
Feline Leukemia. She came to live at
Rikki’s Refuge with the 40 or so others who share her disease. Contagious to other kitties, Rikki’s
maintains two habitats especially for the Feluk Kids, to keep everyone
safe. Most Feluk Kids live their
natural lives out at Rikki’s, but a few of the super lucky get adopted. Like Libby.
Your support of Rikki’s Refuge gives a chance to these
kids. Some who’ll live normal life
spans. many who’ll need a lot of extra
medical care during their lives. Others
who may only have a few months or years to share our planet, but all who are
gratefully appreciative to you to allow them that life.
Memorial
Day Meet-the-Animals TOUR
On Memorial Day at NOON we will have a TOUR that everyone is
invited to!!! Come out and meet the animals
who’s lives you’ve saved. We all want
to meet you!! Have you seen the lovely
new addition to Cat House Number One yet?
Or beautiful new Rabbit Rotunda 2?
Come on out and see what’s new since last time you visited!
Alumni
Paddy Kat
Paddy Kat was critter number 1,940 when he came to Rikki’s
Refuge in 2004. His only problem was
testing positive for the fiv virus. A
virus, that we’ve found over the years, seems to have no affect on the kitties
health. Yet so much fear and the
element of the unknown, still make these cats almost unadoptable.
But not for lucky Paddy Kat!!! Here he is at home, where he’s very happy as a member of Ron’s
clan.
Your generous support provides for about 60 cats with the
fiv virus, so they can live happily at Rikki’s Refuge. Most shelters kill cats that test positive
for fiv. At Rikki’s they get a happy
home for the rest of their natural lives.
Except when they find an open minded adoptor like Ron!
Jack and
Jill
went home as puppies expecting to be family members for
life. Eight years later the kids were
“tired” of them, the adults tired of “messes in the yard”. Moving to a larger house a few blocks away
was the perfect time to “get rid” of Jack and Jill.
At eight years old, they wouldn’t stay alive very long in
most shelters. It’s puppy season and
everybody wants a puppy!!! Would anyone
want depressed, sad, 8 year old Jack and Jill?
Probably not.
Thanks to supporters who keep Rikki’s Refuge running, Jack
and Jill are here. They just arrived on
Tuesday. Shy, obviously haven’t had
much attention for quite a while, but very nice and gentle, they’ll be coming
out of their shells soon. As soon as
their neglected medical care gets updated, they’ll be ready for ADOPTION. They’re a pair and they’ll be a delightful
addition to your home.
If you’re interested in meeting Jack and Jill, let mom know Kerry@RikkisRefuge.org
Kitty
Cuddle Time
It's up to you!!
CLICK to PICK
support the Cats or the Dogs!
CLICK to PICK
support the Cats or the Dogs!
Thank you for your love and support.
Together we’re making a marvelous difference!!!
LOVE,
VINCENT
April 25, 2012
PS: Please help me, I work hard to keep Rikki's Refuge Running. I need your continued support.
The Fine Print
Rikki's Refuge in Orange County, Virginia, is a 367-acre, no-kill, all species, peaceful sanctuary supported solely by donations from kind and loving individuals just like you! We help farm animals, domestic animals, and wildlife. Over 1250 individuals of 22 different species now reside at Rikki's Refuge. Please continue to help us help the animals. To learn more about Rikki's Refuge go to http://www.rikkisrefuge.org/, http://www.rikkisrefuge.blogspot.com/, and http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge .
We survive on donations from kind and loving people, just like you. We live on a shoestring and make it on less than one dollar per day, per animal. So if you can spare a couple of bucks to buy a few meals, please go to http://www.paypal.com/ and use our email address of mail@rikkisrefuge.org . We do accept checks, money orders, cash and stuff, too! Thanks for your support. Rikki's Refuge, PO Box 1357, Orange VA 22960
Your donations directly support the Critters of Rikki’s Refuge. Rikki's Refuge is owned and operated by Life Unlimited of Virginia, Inc., an IRS 501(c)(3) not-for-profit Virginia Corporation. Federal Tax-ID 54-1911042. We hold membership in all Combined Federal Campaigns in Virginia #77674, Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign #3163, PetsMart Charities #1377, iGive, Benevolink, paypal.com (mail@rikkisrefuge.org), your donations provide direct support. A financial statement is available upon written request from the State Office of Consumer Affairs.
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.
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.
Learn more www.RikkisRefuge.org
and help spread the good word, tell everyone you know about Rikki’s Refuge
