January 14, 2018 - Opie's Diary of Daily Doings at Rikki's
Refuge
photo
compliments of Katie Terrill
Betty joins Tony for morning
rounds .... but she's not putting HER
feet on that cold ground !!
The day dawned COLD .... 8 degrees
..... was it really 67 degrees
just the other day !!!!
Still as soon as there's
morning light
the geese come seeking out
ponds and pools !!
The ducks quack and dance
around complaining about frozen pools
photo
compliments of Katie Terrill
while the hoomans clean them
all out and fill them with fresh water !
THANK YOU Wilson Well for the fast flowing water that makes this job
take much less time.
What? You don't see any people standing there filling the pools? Nope ... they get things cleaned and the water flowing .... and rush off to get something else clean while the pools are filling. That's one way we know if somebody can work fast enough to get a job at Rikki's. On their test day, if they stand there for 20 minutes waiting for a pool or trough to fill ..... well it's just not gonna work !!!! You got to be fast moving, multi tasking to get it all done in a day !!!! It takes lots of brains too !!!!
What? You don't see any people standing there filling the pools? Nope ... they get things cleaned and the water flowing .... and rush off to get something else clean while the pools are filling. That's one way we know if somebody can work fast enough to get a job at Rikki's. On their test day, if they stand there for 20 minutes waiting for a pool or trough to fill ..... well it's just not gonna work !!!! You got to be fast moving, multi tasking to get it all done in a day !!!! It takes lots of brains too !!!!
Miss Pigeon with her man ....
... wait? That's a peacock ! Yup !! We have the
strangest couples at Rikki's. You never
know who'll take up with who !!! Just
wait and see !!! Goose and donkey,
pigeon and peacock, pig and cat, cat and sheep ..... anything goes around here !!!
The other pigeons pair up for their morning sunning.
The other pigeons pair up for their morning sunning.
In warmer weather they fly
rounds about the aviary in the morning, cooing with their soft lovely
voices. When it's cold, they prefer to
come out of their nests and sit on warming stones !!!! As they warm up, the cooing begins !
It's gonna be a busy day cuz we got a truck load of surprises arriving in the afternoon. Everything has to get done so they'll be time to unload that truck and get everything situated before dark.
Winter means a lot of work has to be hurry hurry ..... Why? Cus hoomans don't see so good in the dark .... and we don't have outdoor lighting, so everyone rushes to get things done before dark. In the summer you can keep working outside and seeing what you're doing till 9 pm. Now by 5:30 it's to dark to see a black cow !!!
Sometimes the hoomans have to work wearing headlamps or by the light of vehicle headlights. But that makes lots of things so much harder. And scares some of the animals too .... when a creature starts across the field towards them with one great huge shining big eye !!!
It's gonna be a busy day cuz we got a truck load of surprises arriving in the afternoon. Everything has to get done so they'll be time to unload that truck and get everything situated before dark.
Winter means a lot of work has to be hurry hurry ..... Why? Cus hoomans don't see so good in the dark .... and we don't have outdoor lighting, so everyone rushes to get things done before dark. In the summer you can keep working outside and seeing what you're doing till 9 pm. Now by 5:30 it's to dark to see a black cow !!!
Sometimes the hoomans have to work wearing headlamps or by the light of vehicle headlights. But that makes lots of things so much harder. And scares some of the animals too .... when a creature starts across the field towards them with one great huge shining big eye !!!
BACK OFF HOOMAN .....
photo
compliments of Katie Terrill
we don't want to have to hurt you ... this really doesn't concern you ..... we found the truck ....
we're headed to Florida ... don't even
TRY to stop us !!!
--- cats
who've had enough of the cold
It was hurry hurry in the medical room .....
photo
compliments of Lauren Todd
Cus there was an early
afternoon intake .... and everybody
needed to be ready and a room set up in the quarantine building ....
Finally Tic Tac voted no more
paperwork....
Didn't I hear someone say
that cats were the smartest and knew everything...
It was time for our new
arrivals !!!
photo
compliments of Lauren Todd
Misty is the Mom. About 4 years old. Keeps having babies under somebody's porch. We offered to get her "fixed" and
they could keep her. But nope .... won't be allowed to go home.
During her two week quarantine time we'll get to know her and see where she'd most like to live. She seems pretty friendly .... though on day one you get examined, shots, wormed, icky smelly flea drops, ears cleaned ..... so it's not really the best welcome to Rikki's !!!
During her two week quarantine time we'll get to know her and see where she'd most like to live. She seems pretty friendly .... though on day one you get examined, shots, wormed, icky smelly flea drops, ears cleaned ..... so it's not really the best welcome to Rikki's !!!
Oni is Misty's little boy and
her only baby .... nobody knows what
was happening to all the babies Misty was populating the folks porch with
.... but they'd apparently disappear
one by one .... and Misty would have more.
Note holes in
sweatshirt! Oni was more apprehensive
than his mom. He clung on for dear life
... even trying to get away by digging in the shoulder and pulling. Nobody likes bleeding, getting bitten,
clawed, stomped and butted .... but
it's the way of life at Rikki's !!! If
you want to work with animals, you have to understand and accept animal
behavior ... and when they are scared they hurt you, usually without meaning
to. First you deal with the situation
and make sure the animals is safe ... then you can take a 2 minute break to
clean up the blood before going back for more !!
Now that Oni will be safe and can live with his mom forever .... Misty doesn't need to worry about having more babies. .... come on speuter clinic ... return mom's call quick ... so we can make sure of that !
Tis the season many girl kitties are getting pregnant .... I know, seems crazy when it's this cold doesn't it? But yup ... that's when it happens. Birth rates sky rocket around Valentine's Day .... so If you've got anybody hanging around your house .... or running around showing off or yowling for guys .... grab 'em and get 'em to the speuter clinic NOW !!!!
Now that Oni will be safe and can live with his mom forever .... Misty doesn't need to worry about having more babies. .... come on speuter clinic ... return mom's call quick ... so we can make sure of that !
Tis the season many girl kitties are getting pregnant .... I know, seems crazy when it's this cold doesn't it? But yup ... that's when it happens. Birth rates sky rocket around Valentine's Day .... so If you've got anybody hanging around your house .... or running around showing off or yowling for guys .... grab 'em and get 'em to the speuter clinic NOW !!!!
If you'd like to help with
Misty and Oni's care, they'd be very happy.
www.RikkisRefuge.org/Donate
Thank you !!!
And then the .......
And then the .......
arrived !!!! 26 feet full of surprises for us !!!
Are you scared to open up the lift gate ?
How many cats can you fit in a 26' truck ..... or will emus come bursting out ..... or has a homeless bigfoot been captured and needs relocation ...... WHAT might we find !!!
Are you scared to open up the lift gate ?
How many cats can you fit in a 26' truck ..... or will emus come bursting out ..... or has a homeless bigfoot been captured and needs relocation ...... WHAT might we find !!!
Nine .... count 'em NINE ...
pallets of dog food, cat food and treats for both !!!!! We never know what will come ..... a couple times a year Purina calls and says
send a truck ....
It's late afternoon, and it's COLD, and the truck still has hours to travel to be turned in tonight.
How do you get it unloaded FAST ? No loading dock here .... no fork lifts .... nothin but hooman power !!!
It's late afternoon, and it's COLD, and the truck still has hours to travel to be turned in tonight.
How do you get it unloaded FAST ? No loading dock here .... no fork lifts .... nothin but hooman power !!!
video
compliments of Katie Terrill
That was fast .... truck is unloaded so our volunteer drivers
can be on there way .....
Thank you to Lori Walters and
her husband .... who did an all day
journey to travel to Purina to pick up and deliver donations to Rikki's
!!!!! WOW .... what a great big prize !!!!
With the truck safely on the
way .... now the hoomans have more
work. Getting it all stacked neatly and
stored away .... cus this is gonna last
a few weeks !!!! You've seen me begging
for dry cat food, haven't you? Often
the whole load is dry dog food and treats.
But YIPPIE !!! this time two
whole pallets were cat food !!!!
photo compliments of Katie Terrill
It's a lot of packaging material. Often outdated displays. Like special Christmas promotions. But we don't care !!!! Really .... we'll eat it no matter what pictures are on the boxes and bags !!!! Stay tuned .... there will be a big bon fire on packaging disposal day !!!! We have to pay to take trash to the dump .... so when we have an opportunity like this .... be burn it for free !!!
When all was stacked up
...... the hoomans selected tomorrow's nums.
Yup .... see that truck ... that is what us cat and the dogs will eat
TOMORROW !!!
Wait .... do I see two more dull gray barns in the background ? I think I do! WHERE are YOU volunteers with that bright beautiful paint !!! Maybe if we got this place painted up like a tropical paradise it wouldn't be so cold !!!!
Wait .... do I see two more dull gray barns in the background ? I think I do! WHERE are YOU volunteers with that bright beautiful paint !!! Maybe if we got this place painted up like a tropical paradise it wouldn't be so cold !!!!
You really can't fathom the
vastness of Rikki's Refuge till you've worked here a while and you've filled
bowl after bowl after bowl .... and
then washed them all and scooped up all he poop !!!! It really takes a village to feed all of us in the Nation of Rikki's
!!!!
Nine pallets sounds like a LOT .... We're hoping it will feed the cats for a month ... maybe ... if it's not too cold, cus everybody eats more when it's cold. The doggies should have enough till spring !!! But that's ONLY their dry food. Everybody gets canned food every day too ..... twice a day for many and for everyone in the cold .... and this donation was only dry. So I'll still be begging YOU to help me buy canned cat and dog food !!
Nine pallets sounds like a LOT .... We're hoping it will feed the cats for a month ... maybe ... if it's not too cold, cus everybody eats more when it's cold. The doggies should have enough till spring !!! But that's ONLY their dry food. Everybody gets canned food every day too ..... twice a day for many and for everyone in the cold .... and this donation was only dry. So I'll still be begging YOU to help me buy canned cat and dog food !!
Love, Opie
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