Kerry of Rikki's Refuge Jailed

Kerry of Rikki's Refuge Jailed
Originally uploaded by rikkis_refuge

for exceeding credit limit. She will be jailed in a local cell until a way overdue cat food bill of $6,782.47 is paid in full. The residents of Rikki's Refuge need your urgent assistance to get Kerry out of jail by raising the money to pay off this exorbitant bill. The creditors are threatening to auction off the refuge for resort property. The animals all beg for your help .... don't let us be homeless .. again.

The future of Rikki's Refuge is in your hands! Please send your support. $1, $5 or what ever you can. www.rikkisrefuge.org/donate.php?purpose=Feed Paypal, Credit card or send a check to Rikki's Refuge, PO Box 1357, Orange VA 22960.

Read the detailed story at

http://www.rikkisrefuge.org/Rikkis/kerryjail.html

From our friends at Best Friends

Hi guys.

We wanted to send you the new link for the updated Best Friends web site:

http://network.bestfriends.org/golocal/virginia/default.aspx

and one of the featured articles there is one we wrote about your upcoming Birthday Bash.

We hope we can make it, but we have a conflict as of now.

By the way, we visited the Web of Life sanctuary in Chesapeake, and talked with the founder, Jackie Van Horn. She is doing some great work there. Here is a link to that article:

http://network.bestfriends.org/golocal/virginia/news.aspx?pID=11007

Congratulations again on your 11^th anniversary.

Rick & Sarah McDonald

News Writers

Best Friends Network Volunteers

http://network.bestfriends.org/golocal/virginia/default.aspx

(540) 597-8268

HERE'S SOME THINGS THE ANIMALS NEED

that we just couldn't afford to buy last week.

http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_registry_detail.html?ID=2352&ccd=IGR002

That's our Valley Vet registry where you can get some Birthday Presents for our critters. One word of caution. Kathy bought Nanny some diarrhea pills and when she paid with paypal it didn't over ride her address with ours. She'll drop off the pills as soon as they get in. If you live further away you - double check shipping address before you hit the final Order Confirm button. Make sure you're shipping to Rikki's Refuge, 10910 Barr Ln, Rapidan VA 22733

Valley Vet is working on this glitch and hopes to have it fixed soon.

PS. thank you Kathy for NOT listening to Nanny. She beat me to the phone and was trying to convince Kathy she really wanted Oreo Cookies for the big Birthday Bash instead of diarrhea pills!! Naughty Nanny !!!!!


DON'T MISS OUR BIRTHDAY
Open House - August 16, Sunday from noon to 4 pm. Lots of fun and yummy cooking by Larry. For more information or to volunteer to help out contact Jan Chetnik jerseygirljan@verizon.net

Admission is two cans of cat food per person. If you can manage to bring more please do. Our 638 cat use 24 cases a DAY. That's why there's so much cleaning up in the morning to do !!!!!


THANK YOU MIKE AND PURINA
Mike Wood just drove up to Pennsylvania where Purina donated 3200 pounds of dry cat and dog food. That might sound like a lot for your household. But at Rikki's with all those hungry mouths it's only a 40 day supply of dry food. They still need their canned too because most of them are old or handicapped or fighting a chronic health issue.


MOVE THAT GRAVEL
Cindy Wright and Rene Luther along with Joe Callahan have been busy moving gravel from the pile to the dogs. And they've moved a LOT. They could still use your help in smoothing it out and tamping it down. It's one heck of a work out. Get a work out, do good, win karma points. Great project for scout group !!!

SPONSOR APPRECIATION DAY WAS WONDERFUL
The food was the best yet!! I didn't have to eat for the next 4 days.

I had so much fun meeting all of you. Thank you so very much for coming out. It really makes my day to get to meet and talk to you. For so many of you that's your one visit each year. But don't forget our next Open House - our 11th Birthday, August 16th from noon until 4 pm. Put it on your calendar right now!

It took all of these wonderful Volunteers to make it happen: Mary Walker, Jane Whitmore, Candy and Paul Erhard, Deloris Quick, Larry Ramsey, Clota Gerhardt, Lorraine Gentile, Laurie Karnay, Crystal and Dennis Bane, Mariza and Angela Soliman (Mariza baked and made salads also), Lou and Sean Laurie, BJ and Jarrett Wroten, Fred Friedman, Tom Hartshorne, Kerri Williams, Ron Herfurth, Melanie Hansford, Carrol Morgan, Bob Wallace, Kristina Anderson, Ken Lickliter, Katie and Grant Fincham, Kathy McLaurin, Katarina Galvin and her niece and nephew (Brie Castillo and Abe Herrera), Lloyd Dolan.

Rene Luther (sorbet and beautification), Alyce Smith made beautiful donation jars. Alex Hult - flyer creation. Dave Smalley, editor of "Weekender" - The Free Lance-Star - wrote a WONDERFUL editorial about Rikki's. Sarah and Rick McDonald - Virginia Best Friends website - wrote about the open house. We had such wonderful coverage from local and other newspapers, etc. The event had the MOST volunteers to date -- they all worked hard - we could not do these open houses without the wonderful volunteers.

Please call about becoming a volunteer!

At the salt mines

Meanwhile, here's what's going on with the gang. Anyone up for some awesome biceps workouts?

I just finished brushing the cat litter out of Golith the Goat's mouth. Lena called and hollered - help cat house 7, I need help with the goat. When I got there I discovered the goat's mouth was impacted full with clumping cat litter. Not good to eat. While she held him I flushed with a giant syringe and scrubbed with a tooth brush (oh please remind me to get to town and buy a tooth brush before tonight!).

As soon as he was litter free - he ran back to the litter box. So we leashed him and the other new buy Billy up and hauled them to Horsey Haven.

Joe Callahan has finished the fencing at horses. We are in need of additional T posts to strengthen the pannels. they'll need to be installed in between each one currently in. He'd only planned to do the pannels which makes it usable right now. The reinforcing is needed if we get something new that is pushy - but should get done. It requires a younger stronger person who can withstand the pounding with the post pounder.

We might be able to lure some of the sheep and goats into this pen and lock them up for tours so people can see them - though if many animals are going to be in there for long it's going to need shade. It's only got the current two horse run in.

So add a T-post pounding project to the list.

Kerry

THANKS KATHY

For those of us back here at the salt mines, Kathy very kindly sent an update on the Richmond Vegetarian Festival. Here's how it went for the OCAS gang:

We got one small mixed breed dog adopted. Hurray!

Wiley, a gentle senior hound up for adoption, didn't find his forever home at the event. Wiley is about 8 years old, neutered, all vet work done. He walks well on a leash and enjoys walking -- he walked around the park so much yesterday, that he was too tired to get out of the crate when we returned him to the OCAS around 8:00 pm last night. He is VERY gentle. Gets along with other dogs. We were walking among Pitbulls, Akitas, Chihuahuas, kids, people in wheelchairs -- and Wiley was fine around all of them.

Wiley is a happy wanderer, however, and needs to go to a home that won't let him out unattended. I have photos if anybody is interested. Or, go to the shelter and check him out.

SPONSOR APPRECIATION DAY PHOTO ALBUM

The weather was beautiful, the volunteers were wonderful and the guests enchanting. We all had a blast.

OUR CHEFS

OUR CHEFS
Originally uploaded by rikkis_refuge

Larry and Clota cooked and cooked and cooked, and it was all delicious

ARTIST CARROL MORGAN

ARTIST CARROL MORGAN
Originally uploaded by rikkis_refuge

raised money by sketching charcoal portraits.

DUKE'S PORTRAIT

DUKE'S PORTRAIT
Originally uploaded by rikkis_refuge

including this lovely one of our very own Duke Thomas Peabody. I wonder how he managed to get a portrait and Vincent didn't?

WONDERFUL VOLUNTEERS

WONDERFUL VOLUNTEERS
Originally uploaded by rikkis_refuge

like Kristina Anderson worked all day to make the event so successful.

FEEDING THE ANIMALS

is always one of the favorite things people get to do on tours. During an Open House there is a tour group leaving every half hour.

Our next tour is May 18 at 1 pm. Our next open house is June 15 from 12 - 4. For more information check www.RikkisRefuge.org or call 540-854-0870 x2

BIG BIRD BIGGER THAN ME

BIG BIRD BIGGER THAN ME
Originally uploaded by rikkis_refuge

It's rare for a new visitor to approach an emu with out at least a little bit of trepidation and wariness. They are gentle souls (as long as you're not trying to cram worming medicine down their throats or something) and use their beaks like hands to feel things. Long skinny tidbits temp them the most, breadstick, celery and the like. Photo by Kerri Williams, Magpi Studios 540-760-2388 www.MagpiStudios.com

THE PIGS EAT EVERY THING AND ANY THING

THE PIGS EAT EVERY THING AND ANY THING
Originally uploaded by rikkis_refuge

And people just love to watch them eat. Which makes the pigs very happy too! There's nothing a pig would rather do than please a person by showing off how much they can eat. In the fall visitors get to feed pumpkins to the pigs. This time of year it's all kinds of fruits and veggies. Remember, our pig friends are vegetarians. Photo by Kerri Williams, Magpi Studios 540-760-2388 www.MagpiStudios.com

LET ME HAVE THE FOOD WILL YA?

LET ME HAVE THE FOOD WILL YA?
Originally uploaded by rikkis_refuge

I'm not a dog and I'm not going to stand up on my hind feet to get it, I might walk right over you but I don't stand up and beg. We have so many pigs because of silly choices people make in pets. When people call me wanting to adopt a pig and explaining to me that pot belly pigs only grow to about 40 pounds and make wonderful house pets - I invite them out to work in Piggy Paradise. Mud wallows and every square inch of earth rooted up is Paradise to a pig. But it's not to most people who want green grass and flowers and the like.

When I say, "If you don't want to live in a pig pen, don't invite a pig into your house." They laugh hysterically and say, "Oh you're so funny." No, it's not funny. It's realistic. Pigs root. Pigs must root. This is their natural pass time. It is cruel and inhumane to put rings in their noses to make them stop it. And you know why that makes them stop? It hurts. It hurts like heck. That ring begins to dig into soft tissues when they try to root. If you want to put rings in somebody's nose - stick to your own nose. If pigs don't have dirt to root up, carpet or sofa cushions or drywall works just as well.

every pig you meet at Rikki's was a pet somebody thought would be a lot of fun - and in 6 months or two years - here they are packed off to the pound or a sanctuary -- to be cared for, for the next 10 or 12 years.

Photo by Kerri Williams, Magpi Studios 540-760-2388 www.MagpiStudios.com

BIRDS ABOUND

BIRDS ABOUND
Originally uploaded by rikkis_refuge

Most free ranging about the refuge. Ducks, geese, chickens, peacocks all roam happily about, following folks around for dropped crumbs. We have so many birds because of silly choices people make in pets. It seems to come as a real surprise that ducks will learn to fly and poop all over your house. That chickens, yes both hens and roosters, will crow and squawk and call at all hours of the day and night. They don't go to work on the same schedule you do, so if there's something cool to crow about at midnight, 2 am 4 am they do. And most of your "civilized" neighbors in subdivisions will complain just as loud as the birds. A lot of people are even shocked to learn that their home owner associations don't allow farm animals - including birds.

Photo by Kerri Williams, Magpi Studios 540-760-2388 www.MagpiStudios.com

OH PLEASE COME OUR WAY ...

OH PLEASE COME OUR WAY ...
Originally uploaded by rikkis_refuge

The dogs are always so happy to see people. At the first sighting the howls and barks of joy go out. Soon everyone at Doggy Downs is in a ruckus. Pat me, feed me, love me. Our dogs fall into three categories.

The old. He's not so playful anymore, let's dump him and let somebody else take care of him forever (if he's lucky) and we'll just get a new puppy. It breaks our heart to leave him behind at the pound, but we'll soon be over it as we start to housebreak the new puppy.

The handicapped. Like Duke Thomas Peabody, born with fetal eyes that will never see more than shadows. But with a big heart that just wants to be filled with love. When Duke is in his territory or with his seeing eye dog Boomer (no joke) you wouldn't even notice that he's blind. But on new turf he'll walk right into a tree.

Photo by Kerri Williams, Magpi Studios 540-760-2388 www.MagpiStudios.com

THE OLD HUNTING HOUND

THE OLD HUNTING HOUND
Originally uploaded by rikkis_refuge

Like Professor Higgins here, going blind. He gave many years of service and a lot of love to his former owner. Only to be dumped at the pound when he slowed down, couldn't see so well and didn't keep up with the other hunting hounds. Old dogs, especially ones already showing signs of age don't get picked out very often. Being a big dog is another reason you probably won't be selected in a pound. Being big and old .... Well you don't have much of a chance.

Now happily at Rikki's Refuge, with both human and doggy friends, the Professor can spend his remaining retirement years in peace and quiet and never have to worry about where his next meal is coming from or if he's going to be shot for poor performance.

Photo by Kerri Williams, Magpi Studios 540-760-2388 www.MagpiStudios.com

MASCOTS

MASCOTS
Originally uploaded by rikkis_refuge

Jack is a Mascot and has free range of the refuge. This is the luckiest class of dogs, and everyone gets a chance. In order to be a Mascot you have to make two promises. First you must promise not to eat any other residents. This means other dogs, cats, horses, sheep, chickens, ducks or anybody else. This is a hard promise for a lot of dogs. Small animals are natural prey for many. Most dogs must have been raised around farm animals, especially the birds, from puppy hood in order to not naturally think of them as the next meal.

Dogs have a strong protective pack mentality and the instinct to band together with "yours" and keep "them" out of your territory is hard wired in. Mascots must be protective but not aggressive. Barking or growling at an intruder is their "job". But they are expected to be civil enough to not attack. And they must be secure enough not to attack each other over a toy or food or anything else.

The second promise they must make is to not run away. You'd think with 367 acres it'd be an easy promise. But for some they want to run and explore miles away. Some of the old hunting hounds enjoyed running with the pack chasing down animals so much that when they hear a gunshot on an adjoining property they're off to join in the fun. Others get a scent of something that strolled by in the night and will follow it off. Most would probably eventually return. But the rule in the country is an unfamiliar dog on your property is something to shoot. This sounds very harsh until you learn that most animals belonging to people who are killed by other animals are killed by someone's wandering dog. Once someone has watched an animal of theirs die at the jaws of someone else's dog - they don't wait to see if the next dog coming by is friendly.

Doggy Downs has enclosures for groups of dogs to live in family like settings. We try to mix and match and find the most harmonious group of dogs for each enclosure. The third group of dogs is the Old Poodles (and others of small size) who share space with some of the cats and have an indoor section with a doggy door to go outside when they want too. Obviously to be in this group you must get along with other dogs and cats.

Photo by Kerri Williams, Magpi Studios 540-760-2388 www.MagpiStudios.com

MAMA CAT AND RIPLEY

MAMA CAT AND RIPLEY
Originally uploaded by rikkis_refuge

sunning on a window in the 9th Life Retirement, Assisted Living and Psychiatric Center. Mama Cat is here for recurring breast cancer. It's only recurred in one location and it's growing small. No further surgery is recommended and she's on meds to hopefully keep it small. Aside from her twice daily treatments, which she hates because she's semi-feral and doesn't much like being handled, she seems very happy.

Ripley was diagnosed with a non-operable tumor in his esophagus several years ago. Killing him off was recommended at the time, he was wheezing, but did not seem to be in any discomfort - so we opted to try treatments in the hopes of reducing the tumor and stopping it from growing. He, too, doesn't like his twice daily medicine, but he's pretty used to it by now. The tumor shrunk enough so that he no longer wheezes but he does seem much more prone to catching a cold now.

So many of our 9th Life Retirement and Assisted Living folks would have no chance elsewhere. But here at Rikki's Refuge they can live out a full and happy life.