Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Good Morning Good News !!!! September 23, 2014


 

D is for Duke

Duke is the gentlest sweet dawggie you’ll ever meet.  He’s my favorite dawggie brofur.  Duke came to Rikki’s just over 7 years ago, on May 29, 2007.  My Uncle Paul and Aunt Candy drove him down to Rikki’s from Baltimore. 

Why did Duke need to come to Rikki’s?

Cuz he was going to be killed for being blind.  It’s not like it’s his fault or nothin.  He was born that way.  He couldn’t help it.  And it looked like once he was loved by his family, before he was left to die. 


He was found in a park in Baltimore with a collar and leash, running around, lost, all alone, unable to find his hooman.  Somebody caught him and turned him into the shelter.  The shelter got in so many animals, nobody could stay for very long, had to get adopted or killed pretty quick.  Back then, many shelters had policies of killing the “unsightly” or “defective” animals.  Like me too, I’d probably gotted killed in most shelters.  Me and Duke is so glad to have Rikki’s Refuge who not only wanted to save our lives, but love us whole lots too.


So anyway here was Duke, scared and blind in a shelter waiting to be killed if nobody answered the “found dog” ads or called in to say they’d lost their beloved companion.    And nobody called.  Duke would be killed to make room for a “perfect” dog that somebody might adopt. 

Lucky somebody made a call to Rikki’s Refuge and Duke was able to come to us.  Paul and Candy volunteered to drive up and get him and give him a ride down ... it was really way to far for a Dawggie to walk and anyway, being blind and all, it would have been a really difficult trip for Duke on his own.  He couldn’t even read his GPS !


When Duke went to see nice Dr Meredith Vargas at “our” animal hospital so she could teuter him, she found out he had a bleeding disorder.  Yikes ... he needed lots of blood and drugs to save his life.  Just from a simple teuter.  But luckily our wonderful doc acted quick and saved our Duke .....  then once she caught her breath, she called to tell us.  Boy were we glad he was ok !!!


Not too much longer later Duke had a seizure.  He was fine by the time he got to the doc ....  and it’s hard to tell what’s going on if seizures are quick and over with.   So we’d wait and watch.  No reason has ever been found, but a few times a year Duke will have a seizure.  We have meds that gets him up and on his feet real quick.  And they are infrequent enough that the drugs to prevent them would be worse than the occasional seizure.  My hoomans think they can often sense when one is coming and give him his meds and then he’s fine and doesn’t have one.  


Duke is like me, he’s a spokes critter.  He’s the Official Spokes Dog.  He and me goes to schools to teach little hoomans to be nice to differently abled.  We don’t care what species you are ... we know that if you’re differently abled you’re just the same on the inside as the so called purrfect of your species ....  it doesn’t matter if your eyes work or your ears work or you can walk like others ... it just matters what’s in your heart.  Yup ... it’s all about what’s in your heart. 


And Duke has only nice in his heart.  He’s so gentle and he’s so sweet.  Yes he is  ....  he’s a fine fine dawggie and I’m glad he’s here to work with me and go to places to help teach da hoomans.  Sometimes I think they need lots of lessons, big or small, it’s our job to teach da hoomans to be nice to da planet, da aminals and each other.  

If you love Duke, would you help him and his friends at Doggie Downs out with a little donation?  $1 buys them 4 meals.  $12 keeps the fleas and ticks off Duke for a month.  $67.50 supports Duke or one of his doggysibs for a whole month !!!!    Will you help out?  www.RikkisRefuge.org/FeedMe



Charlottesville Vegetarian Festival
If you can come out and help us this SATURDAY the 27th please let us know asap, we need VOLUNTEERS to help set up, hand out brochures, man the booth and take donations in exchange for merchandise, T shirts and more, and to be Opie and Sylvestra’s companions to meet the public !!   And of course, at the end of the day when we’re all tired, to help take down. 
Contact me NOW if you can help: mail@RikkisRefuge.org




THANK YOU    THANK YOU    THANK YOU
For your hard work and votes !!!!    YOU placed Rikki’s Refuge second in the Tractor Supply.  Coming up soon you’ll see Opie accepting the great big prize !!!!

The Shelter Challenge Contest is over for this round .....  in just a few days ...  we’ll know where YOUR hard work and voting placed Rikki’s Refuge !!!

Contests are such an awesome way to raise money to feed the animals !!!

NUMS for YOU
brought to you by Maria Appleby, Rikki’s Social Media Director
you share with me, and I’ll share with you
try this wonderful vegan recipe today
Duke says, “Almost as good as dog cookies !!!”




THANK YOU FOR HELPING ME TO
SAVE SO MANY LIVES
... with your support we’re able to help so many into their new furrever happy homes ....  and to give that life long home to those not quite so fortunate ...  Thank you for your support

Without YOU

none of us would have been alive

to be looking forward to this fall !!

THANK YOU !!!!!!
Your donations saved Duke and every other animal who lives at Rikki’s Refuge  !!!!   AND your donations are giving them happiness today !!!   Pledge to work each and every day to make the planet just a little bit better.  Please make a donation to give everyone here a happy tomorrow !!!  www.RikkisRefuge.org/FeedMe 


COMING UP SOON!!
What did Opie do at the National Capital Cat Show?
How much Pizza did Ingido eat?
Opie accepts a the PRIZE from Tractor Supply !!
See Opie Dress Up at the Fredericksburg Pet Expo!
Meet the new arrivals at Rikki’s, quack, woof, honk, meow !!
Birthday and Special Day Contests !!
Memorial to our friend Greg.
STAY TUNED TO OPIE TIMES !!


Love,
    Opie













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             Web Site:          www.rikkisrefuge.org/?page_id=6330
             Location:           3503 Lafayette Blvd, Fredericksburg VA 22408  
             Phone:               540-891-5300
              Hours:              10 am - 6 pm Monday - Saturday
                                       noon - 5 pm - Sunday