Good Morning Good News !!!! June 30, 2010

Good Morning Good News !!!!

Don't laugh!! I'm ONLY 12 hours late !!!!

Yippee Good News Happy Dance Happy Dance Happy Dance Happy Dance !!!!!
Lena just left for the night AND took the itty bitty pig with her !!!!
Two are nursing well with Bella, their mom. But the itty bitty one just
can't figure out how to hold on well. She's gonna play piggy mommey
tonight!!!!

http://bit.ly/bDLKJY Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA
One vote a day per computer, phone or what ever per person thru Aug 22.
The shelter with the most over all votes will win money to save lives!!!

Just a little bit of fun for today !!!!!

From Bali Cat: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ng7fl_fKCRQ
and for the dog lovers from Straw Beary:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ELJN4PPDDY
and the duck lovers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nHJPK4Wz_4

Working on getting a Hairballs out to you tomorrow with more updates,
pictures and videos of the itty bitty piggies !!!!

Love, Vincent

PS If you don't want your Daily Good New, just let me know! A couple of
you have said you only want Hairballs with out the Good News!! That's
ok! Just tell me. I'm here to make you happy, just tell me how! If
Good New don't make you happy - I could always start Bad News, but, as
you hoomans say, why reinvent the wheel - that's what you've got tv and
newspapers for !!!!!

--
Have you Voted for Rikki's Today?

Vote Right Now! We can win $s if we have the most votes by August 22,
2010 - you can vote everyday - it's FREE - get everybody you know voting!!!

Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA
http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/shelterchallenge.faces?siteId=3&link=ctg_ars_shelterchallenge_from_home_sidetabs

Vincent D. Cat, Official Spokes Cat of Rikki's Refuge

JOIN THE RIKKI'S FAMILY
http://www.rikkisrefuge.org/donate.php

Not a Rikki's Family Member? For only $45 you can join for a year and
receive your electronic subscription to HAIRBALLS and paper subscription
to REFLECTIONS

DONATE NOW save a life today
http://www.rikkisrefuge.org/donate.php

RIKKI'S REFUGE a 367 acre, no-kill, all species peaceful sanctuary
supported solely by donations of kind and loving individuals, just like
you.

Your donations provide direct support. A financial statement is
available upon written request from the State Office of Consumer
Affairs. All material in this e-mail is copyrighted and cannot be used
for any purpose other than to bring awareness of Rikki's Refuge and the
plight of unwanted animals to the public. Any monetary gain attributed
to this material must be donated to Rikki's.

Phone: 540-854-0870
Address: PO Box 1357, Orange VA 22960
Member: paypal.com (mail@rikkisrefuge.org),
CFC 77674, CVC 3163, PetsMart Charities #1377
Web page: http://www.rikkisrefuge.org
E-mail: Vincent@RikkisRefuge.org

Good Morning Good News !!!! June 29, 2010

Is everyone in your family voting?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4742787161/
Please round up at least one more person to vote. If each of you did
that we'd be the winners for sure. Those cocker spaniels are catching
up, they're even closer. Please don't let me get overrun by a pack of
dogs !!!!!!
http://bit.ly/bDLKJY Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA
One vote a day per computer, phone or what ever per person thru Aug 22.
The shelter with the most over all votes will win money to save lives!!!

Mary was here working all day. She was here when we found out about the
baby pigs and helped get the family moved safely.

Joy can out to scrub up Mount Dishmore !!!!

Welcome to the world little one !!!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4743715986/
Hi MOM !!!!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4743716118/
Refuge Rule 14,786: When working at Rikki's Refuge, ALWAYS keep a clean
change of clothes in your car !!!!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4743079465/
Mom isn't taking well to this baby thing, the babies seem a bit thin
too, they needed some extra warmth and bottle feeding.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4743079617/
Snuggy babies!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4743079823/
This is the active little one !
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4743079993/

From Debra, once again proving the superiority of cat over hooman !!!
A man absolutely hated his wife's cat and decided to get rid of him one
day by driving him 20 blocks from his home and leaving him at the park.
As he arrived home, the cat was walking up the driveway.

The next day he decided to drive the cat 40 blocks away. He put the
beast out and headed home. Driving back up his driveway, there was the cat!

He kept taking the cat further and further, and the cat would always
beat him home. At last he decided to drive a few miles away, turn right,
then left, past the bridge, then right again and another right until he
reached what he thought was a safe distance from his home and left the
cat there.

Hours later the man calls home to his wife: "Jen, is the cat there?"
"Yes", the wife answers, "why do you ask?"
Frustrated, the man answered, "Put the little @#$#@ on the phone, I'm
lost and need directions."

I'm a frog today !!!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4696214360/
I'm so happy to spend the day floating down the creek on a lilly pad
instead of in that house listening to squealing baby pigs!!!!!
VOTE now - and today - tell three friends to vote.
http://bit.ly/bDLKJY Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA

We survived the first night nursing the babies!! Mom fed the little
runt - and siblings - every hour - all night long. The GOOD NEWS is
they may only need that 3-10 days!! DAYS not even weeks !!!! Yippee
!!!!! The itty bitty runt is taking a couple licks of milk by himself
now.

Here's the piggies just barely more than 24 hours old!!!! AFTER being
fed so their squeals are very soft here!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V036Ip6E5vM

Bella still isn't very impressed with her babies. She needs
"assistance" lying down to feed them. And it only lasts a minute or so
before she runs away. Valerie will keep trying all day and keep paws
crossed she'll decide she loves her babies so they can move in with her.
Right now it's not safe to leave them in with her.

Do you remember 10 years ago on a snowy Christmas Eve when Charlotte,
the one too young to possibly be pregnant when she arrived, gave birth
to four breach babies!!! The runt of that litter, now known as
Frieda, she started life as Little Tar Baby cuz she was just a speck of
black! She became a world famous pig when Dr. Pitcairn cured her
incurable malformed legs using homeopathy!
http://www.drpitcairn.com/homeopathy/Cases/tarbaby.html

From Walker: They crossed a Collie and a Lhasa Apso. The new breed is a
Collapso, a dog that folds up for easy transport.

You did VOTE didn't you?
http://bit.ly/bDLKJY Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA

Be my hero - feed the piglets all night!!! Actually Kristy and daughter
Beth have offered to take a night and Katarina has offered to take a
night. Stand by - I'll let you know if they're eating enough on their
own or still need frequent feedings throughout the night.

I wonder if I squealed like that if I'd get more frequent feedings ????

I love you all, no matter what species you are, as long as you don't
squeal all night !!!!

Love, Vincent

PS If you don't want your Daily Good New, just let me know! A couple of
you have said you only want Hairballs with out the Good News!! That's
ok! Just tell me. I'm here to make you happy, just tell me how! If
Good New don't make you happy - I could always start Bad News, but, as
you hoomans say, why reinvent the wheel - that's what you've got tv and
newspapers for !!!!!

--
Have you Voted for Rikki's Today?

Vote Right Now! We can win $s if we have the most votes by August 22,
2010 - you can vote everyday - it's FREE - get everybody you know voting!!!

Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA
http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/shelterchallenge.faces?siteId=3&link=ctg_ars_shelterchallenge_from_home_sidetabs

Vincent D. Cat, Official Spokes Cat of Rikki's Refuge

JOIN THE RIKKI'S FAMILY
http://www.rikkisrefuge.org/donate.php

Not a Rikki's Family Member? For only $45 you can join for a year and
receive your electronic subscription to HAIRBALLS and paper subscription
to REFLECTIONS

DONATE NOW save a life today
http://www.rikkisrefuge.org/donate.php

RIKKI'S REFUGE a 367 acre, no-kill, all species peaceful sanctuary
supported solely by donations of kind and loving individuals, just like
you.

Your donations provide direct support. A financial statement is
available upon written request from the State Office of Consumer
Affairs. All material in this e-mail is copyrighted and cannot be used
for any purpose other than to bring awareness of Rikki's Refuge and the
plight of unwanted animals to the public. Any monetary gain attributed
to this material must be donated to Rikki's.

Phone: 540-854-0870
Address: PO Box 1357, Orange VA 22960
Member: paypal.com (mail@rikkisrefuge.org),
CFC 77674, CVC 3163, PetsMart Charities #1377
Web page: http://www.rikkisrefuge.org
E-mail: Vincent@RikkisRefuge.org

Good Morning Good News !!!! June 28, 201

Sirikit shares the best way to start the day!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsSr6rP6c3Y

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FRED !!!
Happy Birthday to YOU, Happy Birthday to YOU, You're welcome to come
live in my ZOO, Happy Birthday dear Fred, Happy Birthday to YOU, may it
be great and filled with Fancy Feast !!! Love, Vincent

Fred's my dad! Here's our family portrait
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4742787941/
He got a big unexpected surprise at the refuge today - come visit Dad
and get your presents!!!!

Laurie, a little birdie told me you had a birthday earlier this week!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to YOU - you're always welcome to come live in my zoo
too !!!!

No matter what species you are you can vote !!!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4742787161/
you can be voting to help us win big bucks!!!
Ask your friends everywhere to join in !!!!
http://bit.ly/bDLKJY Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA
One vote a day per computer, phone or what ever per person thru Aug 22.
The Shelter with the most over all votes will win money to save lives!!!

We're praying that you'll vote for us every day !
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4742787593/

Working at Rikki's is always filled with fun and excitement and
unexpected events !!!! We never, just never, get bored here !!!!

And the closer mom is to a deadline and trying to work to keep it ......
The more likely it is to be an exciting day!!!!

I could play 20 questions with you all day and you'd never guess what
Valerie discovered on rounds this morning!! Never !!!! Should I tell
you - or make you play ?????

About the size of two, maybe three cans of Fancy Feast and it goes
squeak squeak oink oink squeak squeak ........

WHAT??? Bella has babies????? From WHERE!!!!! The guys are all
fixed and she doesn't even live with any of them. She and Lola hate the
other pigs and they have their own home. Roaming wild boar????

Hmmm how long has she been here ...... When was that last snow storm?
She arrived during that, a pet who kept escaping and getting arrested by
animal control. They took her home that day and her folks said aww just
keep her. So here's poor ACO Trish with a pig on her livestock trailer
and it's COLD and there's tons of snow on the ground AND they already
had another pig waiting to come to Rikki's.

Beau a big pink guy with a black head had been a stray. Very friendly.
They'd already neutered him and he was ready to roll. Literally. So
she headed back to the shelter, rounded up a crew of deputies and loaded
Beau onto the trailer too.

Mom was busy out taking care of all the snowy issues and didn't get the
phone call ..... At 4:30 pm all the animals were taken care of and
safely bedded up for the night and mom said the staff could go on and
leave in the hopes they'd get home safely before the roads got to icy.
Just as they were getting in the car ............

........... a couple sheriff cars and animal control truck hauling a
trailer pulls in. Mom's like HUH???? Lucky for everybody we have a
great friendly crew and everybody pitched in to help.

We couldn't even get to our usual pig quarantine pens. So we cleared a
path to Emu Estates. Had to dig out a house - remember it was about 3
feet deep - dig an area around the house cuz 3 feet is way over Bella or
Beau's head. Get bedding and food and water and get them all set up for
the night.

That was about 114 days ago. After seeing the babies this morning, Mom
can screaming into the office, "what is pig gestation?" I'm very smart
you know, I read the dictionary in my spare time, so I said, "gestation
means how long you're pregnant, it's the length of time ..." And she
said, "shut up smarty pants, let me get my chart out of my desk. Hmmmm
112-116 days. Today is ..... Bella arrived ..... Ah ha".

Now the next panic is, of course, was it Beau or was it before? Is that
why Bella went wondering that fateful day? Or Beau ...... So mom
went chasing Beau around for a feelie and found nothing. See mom run
.... See Beau run .... See mom run .... See Beau squeal ..... I think
I should write books, what do you think?

Mom didn't find any "goods" and so she called the shelter and Trish and
they definitely verified seeing him neutered and the "goods" being
removed. Pweeeee God willing the other female pigs ......

Mom and crew are working on fencing and all kinds of things needed now
for itty bitty baby pigs. they are about the size of 12 week old kittens.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4743423966/

Barb tells me - I lost count, but there were about 130 bats that flew
out of my shutters tonight, including a lot of wobbly baby flyers with
their little wings beating as hard as they could, with mommas circling
and encouraging them! ..really quite a sight to behold!!! Look Mom,
I'm a bat and I can fly!!!!!!!!!! Wheeeee!!!!!

At Pet Smart tonight a 3rd new person showed up who wanted to be trained
as a volunteer ...may have enough people now to cover morning shift too,
which will give Nita a break...yea!!!!!

Momma cat is SO VERY sweet...I cradle her in my arms and she makes bread
on my arm and stares at me with such trust in her eyes...the vet did an
amazing job...I could hardly believe how small he made her
incision...I'm thinking to go ahead and let her join her babies at Polly
and Mike's house tomorrow...I'm really going to miss her...I really
really like her...I'll bet if I could go to bed with her she would be a
real snuggler...it's such a good feeling when everything flows and comes
together for the good of all...:-)

Lisa says: Had an awesome day today, wish I could bottle it and repeat
it again tomorrow!

I'm a zebra !!!! Let's have a fundraiser!!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4695579481/
I can do a car wash !!!!!
VOTE now - and today - tell three friends to vote.
http://bit.ly/bDLKJY Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA

Gees I wonder if I'm getting paid back for all the fun I was having as a
pig !!!!

It happened yesterday!!!

Jan brought food and supplies

Melissa trained Katarina in the skill of dog training so she can teach
the volunteers in Youth Camp

Randy and Steve worked on dog fencing

A community service guy helped out

Rene stopped in Saturday to help out (oops, I'm a day late!)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4743424048/

Tara: Lots of people think that the most dangerous thing about a pit
bull is its jaws. I disagree. The most dangerous thing about a pit bull
is its tail. It has a mind of its own. You can teach a pit bite
inhabitation but you will never teach a pit bull to stop wagging its
tail.---Emily Ward
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7Z5oZhqA7g

Please Please let us win so we can spend the money saving animals!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4743424218/

You did VOTE didn't you?
http://bit.ly/bDLKJY Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4743424144/

Send me your fun, good and wacky news !!!

Be my hero and help stock our empty pantry with canned cat food!!!

I love you all, no matter what species you are, how long your ears are
or how many legs you have!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4742787361/
Love, Vincent

PS If you don't want your Daily Good New, just let me know! A couple of
you have said you only want Hairballs with out the Good News!! That's
ok! Just tell me. I'm here to make you happy, just tell me how! If
Good New don't make you happy - I could always start Bad News, but, as
you hoomans say, why reinvent the wheel - that's what you've got tv and
newspapers for !!!!!

--
Have you Voted for Rikki's Today?

Vote Right Now! We can win $s if we have the most votes by August 22,
2010 - you can vote everyday - it's FREE - get everybody you know voting!!!

Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA
http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/shelterchallenge.faces?siteId=3&link=ctg_ars_shelterchallenge_from_home_sidetabs

Vincent D. Cat, Official Spokes Cat of Rikki's Refuge

JOIN THE RIKKI'S FAMILY
http://www.rikkisrefuge.org/donate.php

Not a Rikki's Family Member? For only $45 you can join for a year and
receive your electronic subscription to HAIRBALLS and paper subscription
to REFLECTIONS

DONATE NOW save a life today
http://www.rikkisrefuge.org/donate.php

RIKKI'S REFUGE a 367 acre, no-kill, all species peaceful sanctuary
supported solely by donations of kind and loving individuals, just like
you.

Your donations provide direct support. A financial statement is
available upon written request from the State Office of Consumer
Affairs. All material in this e-mail is copyrighted and cannot be used
for any purpose other than to bring awareness of Rikki's Refuge and the
plight of unwanted animals to the public. Any monetary gain attributed
to this material must be donated to Rikki's.

Phone: 540-854-0870
Address: PO Box 1357, Orange VA 22960
Member: paypal.com (mail@rikkisrefuge.org),
CFC 77674, CVC 3163, PetsMart Charities #1377
Web page: http://www.rikkisrefuge.org
E-mail: Vincent@RikkisRefuge.org

Good Morning Good News !!!! June 27, 2010

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RON !!! Director of serving cats!!!! We wish you a
great big hairy kitty filled birthday !!!! Stop in and pick up your
Birthday Present!!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4738554952/

No matter where in the world YOU are
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4738554980/
you can be voting to help us win big bucks!!!
Ask your friends everywhere to join in !!!!
http://bit.ly/bDLKJY Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA
One vote a day per computer, phone or what ever per person thru Aug 22.
The Shelter with the most over all votes will win money to save lives!!!

This is THE night to come out to the refuge for a moon walk and camp
out. It was spectacular last night. Really makes you appreciate the
wonderful planet we get to live on. Best I've ever visited! About 9:15
there was a deep orange glow coming from behind the tree line at Doggy
Downs. Mom said, Oh NO what now! And when she got there to investigate
she was awed. It was the moon. More spectacular than most harvest
moons! So deep orange and the night was so clear.

We watched the moonrise while we listened to the spring peepers and the
whippoorwills. The doggys were quiet until the moon was well up in the
sky. I guess they were awed and just watching too. Mommey took
pictures but we'll have to see how that works out. Her camera isn't
really made for night time.

Moonrise is 9:39 tonight. Will probably be visible over the tree line
about 10 pm, and if like last night, really nice till about 11:30 or
midnight!! Great night to camp out!!! And the weather is purrfect
too!!! Scared of bear? Sleep in my day room with my and my friends!!!

Wendy, http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4738554854/

Great big huge congratulations to Voices for Animals clinic who
speutered 122 cats yesterday.
Mary Ellen, president of Voices is fabulous and has worked non stop for
kitties for years and years and years. She's one of those wonderful
people who doesn't yell and get mad and doesn't tell others what to do,
but gets out there and does it!!! My wonderful friend Barbara
volunteered at yesterday's clinic too. She's another one who works
endlessly for the animals. Just adopting a kitty a couple years back
she heard about the homeless problem amongst my kind, so she got
involved!! And wow did she ever get involved!!! She now lives to serve
our species and saves lives every day!!! Mary Ellen and Barbara -
you're my HEROES !!!!!
http://www.nbc29.com/global/Category.asp?C=175568&clipId=4899972&autostart=true

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMzW3LIkNLA

Animal Heroes!!!!
Ryan for driving a 24 hour transport, (12 each way) and arriving happy
and cheerful, even after getting a two hour late start thanks to one of
his passengers. She'd been staying with him as a foster. A long hair
gray lovely lady with partial vision. She's sweet and lovely and had
grown accustomed to him and his home. When he said, time to go, she
bolted. Up inside the freezer's motor compartment.

Here kitty, here kitty kitty - didn't work. Treats didn't work. Tuna
didn't work. He's hoping the freezer still works after he spent 2.5
hours dismantling things to get kitty safely out!!!! PS Ron, there
is a great huge lh white one who's owner had passed away.

Katarina worked a "full day" at Rikki's. Arriving at 8 am and working
during the day with youth and a community service person, and filling in
anywhere Lena needed her till 7 pm. Then she did rounds with Lena about
various repairs and projects that her youth group could do. At 8 pm
Ryan arrived with his transport and she helped us get 7 kitties settled
in. It was her first opportunity to watch them run for a potty break
and then chow down after that long trip. After putting in a 13 hour
day of hard physical labor she headed home for a cooling shower

Zoey, http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4738554890/

Cindy spent all day working like a dog! I mean with the dogs! Well she
worked like a dog with the dogs. I'll never get why you hoomans call
hard work, working like a dog. Seems to me the dogs laze around a
lot!!! But Cindy doesn't! She did all the daily chores at Doggy
Downs, feeding and scrubbing out water bowls and pooper scooping. Then
she cleaned out all the doggy houses, at the downs and for the mascots
too. And she got some grooming in too! And then with the little energy
left, she unloaded all the goodies and supplies she'd brought for the
critters!!!

David and his brother trenched around the perimeter (see I know big
words for a cat, don't I?) of the Rabbit Rotunda II so the fencing can
be set down. Different needs for different species. Us kitties, we
don't dig out. Dem wabbits dem do !!! And if they dig out, somebody
might eat them. I wouldn't have a clue who might be waiting out here to
get them but ..... ((( Psssstttt Hey David ... could you leave just a
little gap .....????? ))))) And the started installing the fencing
going around. It's gonna be really cool when it's all finished !!!!!

I'm an elephant today !!!! Let's have a fundraiser!!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4706051218/
I can do a car wash !!!!!
VOTE now - and today - tell three friends to vote.
http://bit.ly/bDLKJY Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA

Now here's a great idea for investing in Rikki's future. Let's pick up
a couple islands while the economy is down and when this pick up we can
sell them at a huge profit. Or better yet build and move the refuge to
an island !!!
http://www.newser.com/story/93775/bankrupt-greece-selling-islands.html

From Heather, http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4738554924/
Speaking of islands, Petunia wants a vacation here!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthpicturegalleries/5844059/The-bay-of-pigs-swine-swimming-in-crystal-clear-water-in-the-Bahamas.html
Did you know that humans rank pigs up there in intelligence with
dolphins!!!!
http://www.gadling.com/2009/07/20/swim-with-wild-pigs-on-big-major-spot-island-bahamas/
My purrsonal policy is to never, never trust the intelligence ranking of
one species by another !!!! I mean, why ask me, who's the smartest of
them all? You won't get hooman or pig or dolphin as the answer !!!!

Mom says this reminds her of the endless hours of playing with her
brother in airports across the world when she was kid. Back then in the
dark ages, like before computers were even invented, they didn't have
video arcades or anything, so the kids had to make up their own games.
That was back in the day before anybody thought of putting safety
warnings all over the place and you were allowed to have fun!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDDILztf6vE

Mom's looking for a volunteer to take on this project. You'll need to
get 659 of these donated and then train the kitties, and work out a
proposal for putting electricity back in the grid ....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWyrOuH-x7k

Blue, http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4737920951/

You did VOTE didn't you?
http://bit.ly/bDLKJY Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA

Send me your good news, happy stories, successful rescues, cute photos
and videos, make me laugh, smile and happy to be alive!!!

Who's hero will you be today?

Love, Vincent

PS If you don't want your Daily Good New, just let me know! A couple of
you have said you only want Hairballs with out the Good News!! That's
ok! Just tell me. I'm here to make you happy, just tell me how! If
Good New don't make you happy - I could always start Bad News, but, as
you hoomans say, why reinvent the wheel - that's what you've got tv and
newspapers for !!!!!

--
Have you Voted for Rikki's Today?

Vote Right Now! We can win $s if we have the most votes by August 22,
2010 - you can vote everyday - it's FREE - get everybody you know voting!!!

Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA
http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/shelterchallenge.faces?siteId=3&link=ctg_ars_shelterchallenge_from_home_sidetabs

Vincent D. Cat, Official Spokes Cat of Rikki's Refuge

JOIN THE RIKKI'S FAMILY
http://www.rikkisrefuge.org/donate.php

Not a Rikki's Family Member? For only $45 you can join for a year and
receive your electronic subscription to HAIRBALLS and paper subscription
to REFLECTIONS

DONATE NOW save a life today
http://www.rikkisrefuge.org/donate.php

RIKKI'S REFUGE a 367 acre, no-kill, all species peaceful sanctuary
supported solely by donations of kind and loving individuals, just like
you.

Your donations provide direct support. A financial statement is
available upon written request from the State Office of Consumer
Affairs. All material in this e-mail is copyrighted and cannot be used
for any purpose other than to bring awareness of Rikki's Refuge and the
plight of unwanted animals to the public. Any monetary gain attributed
to this material must be donated to Rikki's.

Phone: 540-854-0870
Address: PO Box 1357, Orange VA 22960
Member: paypal.com (mail@rikkisrefuge.org),
CFC 77674, CVC 3163, PetsMart Charities #1377
Web page: http://www.rikkisrefuge.org
E-mail: Vincent@RikkisRefuge.org

Good Morning Good News !!!! June 26, 2010

Yippee it's Caturday !!!! The funnest day of the week cuz the mostest
of my friends come to visit !!!

And adoptions are going on everywhere -
be responsible
recycle
adopt TODAY !!!!!!!

Somebody out there is just waiting to make your life a little bit warmer
and a little bit happier !!!

Every size and shape, color and pattern available - ADOPT !!!

Joan is having adoptions from 11 am - 3 pm at the Booth Feeds in
Fredericksburg on route 3 - kats and kittens -- get one quick before
the supply runs out !!!

Every PetSmart and PetCo on the planet are having adoption days too,
every shelter and pound is open for adoptions!!!!

Make somebody's summer, make somebody's life !!!! ADOPT TODAY !!!!!

Teach everybody to vote !!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4735365505/
Day care, camp, Sunday school, scouts !!! Vote Vote Vote !!!!
http://bit.ly/bDLKJY Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA

Candy brought Blue Dog (a big pick up) filled with produce and yummies
yesterday!!!

Melissa and Ann came out with a vehicle stuffed with cat food and other
goodies and spent several hours helping to clean ears (over 2500 of them
here) and clip claws (over 14,000 here, just counting mammals) - a
daunting job !!!!

Dog and Cat Romance !!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytedC1heY_8

Bionic cat has 9 lives, 2 faux paws - Oscar fitted with prosthetic limbs
in world-first operation
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37922163/ns/health-pet_health
LONDON — Oscar the cat may have lost one of his nine lives, but his new
prosthetic paws make him one of the world's few bionic cats. After
losing his two rear paws in a nasty encounter with a combine harvester
last October, the black cat with green eyes was outfitted with metallic
pegs that link the ankles to new prosthetic feet and mimic the way deer
antlers grow through skin. Oscar is now back on his feet and hopping
over hurdles like tissue paper rolls.

After Oscar's farming accident, which happened when the 2
1/2-year-old-cat was lazing in the sun in the British Channel Isles, his
owners, Kate and Mike Nolan, took him to their local veterinarian. In
turn, the vet referred Oscar to Dr. Noel Fitzpatrick, a neuro-orthopedic
surgeon in Eashing, 35 miles southwest of London.

Together with biomedical engineering experts, Fitzpatrick gave Oscar two
metal prosthetic implants, or pegs. Those were attached to custom-built
faux paws that are a bit wobbly, to imitate a cat's natural walk.

After rehabilitation training that taught Oscar how to walk again, the
cat was on all four feet in less than four months. "This is a pretty
lucky cat," said Dr. Mark Johnston, "Giving a cat artificial limbs is a
very novel solution." Johnston said that while there are many "perfectly
happy" three-legged cats and dogs, animals that lose two legs do not
usually fare as well.

Dogs might cope better with some sort of animal-wheelchair for their
back legs, but cats don't usually adapt to that because of their freer
lifestyle, he said. "If a cat has two legs that are damaged beyond
repair, it's very hard to keep him going," he said.

He doubted the technique would be widely available due to the cost and
said it was still relatively rare for animals to lose two legs at once.
Gordon Blunn, who led the effort to make Oscar's fake paws, said they
cost about 2,000 pounds ($2,996) to make, not including the cost for the
operation itself.

In 2008, Fitzpatrick made an artificial knee for a cat named Missy who
was struck by a hit and run driver. In the U.S., several animals have
received artificial limbs directly attached to their bones at North
Carolina State University's College of Veterinary Medicine.

I'm a cat today !!!! Pweeeh it's been tough being all those other animals.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4733172168/
And there's nothing better than a cat! Is there?
VOTE now - and today - tell three friends to vote.
http://bit.ly/bDLKJY Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA

Ok, sorry, I gave you a bogus link yesterday, here's the RIGHT one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4fsHLWi_xI&feature=PlayList&p=EA90594BCAB8ADA5&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=55

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4724078407/

Yoga Gathering in Central Park Breaks World Record
http://www.gnn.com/article/yoga-gathering-in-central-park-breaks/1129753
Despite an early end due to rain, lots of limber folk -- about 10,000 --
helped organizers set a new world record for the largest ever registered
yoga class Tuesday night in New York City's Central Park. "To sense
firsthand the enthusiasm and attention rising up from that sea of people
is an experience I'll never forget," said Brower in a statement.
Ominous (or were they om-inous?) thunderstorms cut short the event.
Nothing, however, could dampen the crowd's enthusiasm.

Man Returns Lost $3,600
Brennan Breene returned an envelope stuffed with $3,600 to David and
Ashley Marasco of Bridgeville, Pa., who had driven off Sunday with the
envelope on the trunk of their car. Breene said, that he saw an
envelope lying in the middle of the road on Washington Pike, a busy
highway southwest of Pittsburgh. It had cash hanging out of it. He
pulled over and cautiously went into the road to pick up the envelope.
"If nobody claimed it, I guess I would've kept it," he told the
Post-Gazette. "I figured, in a couple of days, I'd go to the police with
it."

The next morning, however, he looked for news reports about lost money.
He found a report on a local TV station's website about a couple who
lost $3,600 of their wedding money. Within minutes of realizing he had
the Marascos' money, Breene went to Bridgeville police to turn it in.

The Marascos had driven away Sunday with their wedding photo album on
top of the trunk of their car -- and the envelope with the money was
inside. Another driver alerted them to the wedding album on the car, but
when the Marascos pulled over, the envelope with the cash was already
missing. "To be quite honest with you, I would have loved to have had
$3,600," said Breene, whose business has suffered a downturn. "But my
better conscience said it wasn't mine."

WWVD - stop at WalMart first for just a FEW cans of Fancy Feast ???

You did VOTE already, Right?
http://bit.ly/bDLKJY Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA

Be somebody's hero today!

And write in and tell me who was your hero for the day!

Love, Vincent

PS If you don't want your Daily Good New, just let me know! A couple of
you have said you only want Hairballs with out the Good News!! That's
ok! Just tell me. I'm here to make you happy, just tell me how! If
Good New don't make you happy - I could always start Bad News, but, as
you hoomans say, why reinvent the wheel - that's what you've got tv and
newspapers for !!!!!

--
Have you Voted for Rikki's Today?

Vote Right Now! We can win $s if we have the most votes by August 22,
2010 - you can vote everyday - it's FREE - get everybody you know voting!!!

Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA
http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/shelterchallenge.faces?siteId=3&link=ctg_ars_shelterchallenge_from_home_sidetabs

Vincent D. Cat, Official Spokes Cat of Rikki's Refuge

JOIN THE RIKKI'S FAMILY
http://www.rikkisrefuge.org/donate.php

Not a Rikki's Family Member? For only $45 you can join for a year and
receive your electronic subscription to HAIRBALLS and paper subscription
to REFLECTIONS

DONATE NOW save a life today
http://www.rikkisrefuge.org/donate.php

RIKKI'S REFUGE a 367 acre, no-kill, all species peaceful sanctuary
supported solely by donations of kind and loving individuals, just like
you.

Your donations provide direct support. A financial statement is
available upon written request from the State Office of Consumer
Affairs. All material in this e-mail is copyrighted and cannot be used
for any purpose other than to bring awareness of Rikki's Refuge and the
plight of unwanted animals to the public. Any monetary gain attributed
to this material must be donated to Rikki's.

Phone: 540-854-0870
Address: PO Box 1357, Orange VA 22960
Member: paypal.com (mail@rikkisrefuge.org),
CFC 77674, CVC 3163, PetsMart Charities #1377
Web page: http://www.rikkisrefuge.org
E-mail: Vincent@RikkisRefuge.org

Good Morning Good News !!!! June 25, 2010

Hey NO SNOW in the forecast here today !!!!!

Judith is my HERO of the day !!!! She keeps our web page updated and
pretty!!
http://www.rikkisrefuge.org/
She's got it all set up so you can enter your animal photos for our
contest! And Funland, and the Tour next Sunday, July 4th !!!!! Check
it out frequently, it's always changing!

The Teens C.A.R.E Program had a hot opening yesterday !!!! It was
awesome! We had 14 teens and 2 parents turn out for our first day. They
all learned how to do the cat runs, change liter from pellets to
sawdust, helped open dog and cat treats, and they painted the new
quarantine building!! All in 100 degree weather! These teens were
seriously the most helpful teens I have ever met. We are looking forward
to a really fun summer being heroes to all our animal friends at
Rikki's. --- Katarina

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4732934956/
Sam appreciates the Teen program too, Katarina's got a really cool lunch
bag, and Sam like to share!

I'm turning up every where !!!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4733077758/
Please please don't let that doggy group catch up to us. I know it's
hot and you're getting tired of voting every day - but just think of the
lives that money we win is gonna save !!!! Vote vote vote !!!!
http://bit.ly/bDLKJY Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA

And speaking of art auctions, look as some of the great stuff coming up
for the auction at the Golf Tournament and Festival !!!

These great items will be up for silent auction and the top price will
set the reserve for the live auction. Interested in bidding? Until
tell me which item you like, your bid and I'll enter it in the
descriptions on the flickr site!!! If you can't pick up your winnings
at the Golf Tournament or at Rikki's - you'll need to add shipping.

Most of these items have more than one picture on flickr - I'm just
going to list the main photo here, so go forward and backwards to see
all the photos !!!!

Cat Print, Kae Taylor:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4732280631/
Cat Print, Gini Adamson:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4732932132/
Cat Print, Debra Lee Hellwig:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4732333931/
Cat Scarf: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4733043540/
Cat Sweater: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4733025470/
Paris Cat Shirt: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4733029882/
Peacock Plate: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4733001134/
Horse print set #1: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4733058544/
Horse print set #2: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4733059600/
Ladies watch: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4732364173/

Got something beautiful you'd like to see us auction? All proceeds go
to feed the animals! A VERY VERY important cause !!!!

You've gotta give it to the animal heroes who braved that heat yesterday
to make life batter for the animals. Everywhere. And here's some more
Rikki's heroes from yesterday!

At Rikki's the show must go on - no matter what - heat or cold - snow or
rain - no matter what - we need to be taken care of every day !!! And
our dedicated hooman heroes do it !!!!!

Donna picked up the items for the Golf Tournament and Festival Auction.

Anita and Dana drove over the mountains and thru the woods to bring in a
haul of dawg food !!! Woof Woof Woof AND ice cold lemonade for the
staff!!!! Yahhhhh.

Dennis picked up broken bags from Target and had to hitch up his trailer
to hold it all !!!!! He also during the school year he brings produce
and cafeteria scraps for the pigs and friends just about every day!!
Who can scrounge up goodies this summer? Left overs at farmer markets
are a good place to start!!! Just ask - as they say - you shall receive
- and they you can help the animals!!!

Mary Ellen had to borrow a great big huge truck to bring in the
donations from Village Feed Store !! Yippee!! Happy chickens and goats
and .....

Cute video: http://www.facebook.com/#!/home.php?sk=fl_106113076080129
Notice how we're turning up in advertising more and more. That's all
cuz of YOU. They know you like us. And the more of you liking us the
better our world gets to be. YOU are successful at raising awareness of
the animals in the world. Yeah, I know, this is just a cutsey wootsey.
But seeing advertising putting their money on us is a good sign!!!!!

John reports: Man Returns From 3-Year Sea Voyage
A sailor who had been cruising around the world finally returned to dry
land more than three years after leaving it. Reid Stowe, 58, had a huge
grin on his face as he docked his 70-foot, two-masted schooner "Anne" at
a pier near West 42nd Street on Thursday afternoon. Family and friends
applauded and cheered. Stowe had been sailing nonstop for 1,152 days.

Restaurants donated food, including rice, beans, tomato sauce, pasta,
chocolate and spices. Other companies contributed as well, donating
money, a GPS system and even the costs and maintenance of his website.
Stowe's parents also assisted. To keep himself busy for the last two
years, Stowe repaired torn sails, painted, practiced yoga and wrote a
book that he hopes to get published. He was able to send e-mails and
make satellite phone calls.

Stowe said his trip breaks a record from the 1890s when a Norwegian ship
traveled for 1,067 days. Stowe said he didn't get the record verified
with Guinness World Records beforehand because he couldn't afford the
entrance fee. A spokeswoman from Guinness confirmed that a claim has
since been registered and it is being researched.

Stowe's trip wasn't always smooth sailing, though; 15 days after setting
sail, he collided with a freighter, and his boat briefly capsized last
February.

He said he planned to repair his boat -- which he and his family built
more than 30 years ago -- and he hopes to tour around the country's
waterways with his family. "This is my life," Stowe said. "This is what
I do."

I'm a pig again today !!!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4696214230/
I love to pig out!
VOTE now - and today - tell three friends to vote.
http://bit.ly/bDLKJY Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA

Here's Bill trying on the fly masks he bought for the horses!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4732935148/

David http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4732935638/
is in charge of the construction of Rabbit Rotunda II. He donated all
the materials.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4732935424/
The fence poles are in and next the fence goes up!!!

Ken and Gina who adopted Mr. Turtle
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4732935098/

Trav discovered Snicker's loft! Uh Oh what's going to happen when
Snickers discovers that Trav discovered her loft?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4732935058/

Snickers sees Lena coming with claw clippers and heads for the safety of
her loft.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4732935022/

Only to find Trav! Hssssss. That stopped her long enough for Lena to
catch her.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4732934990/
Snip Snip there goes the tips of those sharp claws. Trav's been
promoted to medical assistant !!!!!

Look !! Miss Maike donated another milty!!! These are special really
feel good bankies!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4732291177/
Hmm my other one is stretch out and share size .... this one's a
sitting ....
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4732291319/
.... or sharing with itty bits !!!!!

Kittens will be ready for adoption next week! Who wants a kitten?? One
orange tabby, one grey and white, two black and white. Must go in pairs!!

I had to go to the post office to pick up a package there. The
postmaster loves me so he makes me sign personally for all my packages.
Mom will go and he'll say - uuuu ahhhhh it's for VIncent - go get
him!!!

It was from my facebook friend Sam Iam
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4732935790/
Lots of cool toys and best of all delicious Party Mix
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4732935750/
Num Num Num
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4732291207/
thanks Sam! That was delicious!!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4732934894/
Tabitha snoozing.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4732290437/
ME chilling out !!!!!

You did VOTE already, Right?
http://bit.ly/bDLKJY Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA

Be somebody's hero today!

And write in and tell me who was your hero for the day!

Love, Vincent

PS If you don't want your Daily Good New, just let me know! A couple of
you have said you only want Hairballs with out the Good News!! That's
ok! Just tell me. I'm here to make you happy, just tell me how! If
Good New don't make you happy - I could always start Bad News, but, as
you hoomans say, why reinvent the wheel - that's what you've got tv and
newspapers for !!!!!

--
Have you Voted for Rikki's Today?

Vote Right Now! We can win $s if we have the most votes by August 22,
2010 - you can vote everyday - it's FREE - get everybody you know voting!!!

Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA
http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/shelterchallenge.faces?siteId=3&link=ctg_ars_shelterchallenge_from_home_sidetabs

Vincent D. Cat, Official Spokes Cat of Rikki's Refuge

JOIN THE RIKKI'S FAMILY
http://www.rikkisrefuge.org/donate.php

Not a Rikki's Family Member? For only $45 you can join for a year and
receive your electronic subscription to HAIRBALLS and paper subscription
to REFLECTIONS

DONATE NOW save a life today
http://www.rikkisrefuge.org/donate.php

RIKKI'S REFUGE a 367 acre, no-kill, all species peaceful sanctuary
supported solely by donations of kind and loving individuals, just like
you.

Your donations provide direct support. A financial statement is
available upon written request from the State Office of Consumer
Affairs. All material in this e-mail is copyrighted and cannot be used
for any purpose other than to bring awareness of Rikki's Refuge and the
plight of unwanted animals to the public. Any monetary gain attributed
to this material must be donated to Rikki's.

Phone: 540-854-0870
Address: PO Box 1357, Orange VA 22960
Member: paypal.com (mail@rikkisrefuge.org),
CFC 77674, CVC 3163, PetsMart Charities #1377
Web page: http://www.rikkisrefuge.org
E-mail: Vincent@RikkisRefuge.org

Good Morning Good News !!!! June 24, 2010

Good Morning Good News !!!!

It's above freezing today !!! NO ice to break out of water bowls !!!
No hard packed snow to shovel before gates can be opened !!! No
sweeping snow off the roofs of cat runs !!!! No propane bill to pay
!!!! No dangerous ice on the roads !!!

Our planet is covered in trees that are making shade !!!! We have a
wonderful deep well that gives us beautiful delicious clean cool water !!!

Look who's voting for Vincent and Rikki's Refuge in the Shelter
Challenge $100,000 contest NOW !!!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4729753821/
Hurry Hurry number 2 is catching up - vote - vote on your computer -
vote on your phone - vote at home - vote at work - ask your friends,
family, co workers to vote - post it every where you can think!!!
http://bit.ly/bDLKJY Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA

Jennifer voted on a plane yesterday!!!

Mary is my HERO of the day !!!! She typed in some much needed documents
Mom was behind on. And she took some special photos of me. And for the
upcoming card!!! Thank you Mary for your big help. Mary works at
Rikki's two days a week, volunteering to do lots of needed things,
organizing, office work, feeding cats (that's the best!!), and anything
the hoomans need help with! She's a really big help to mom!

Carl brought out a truck of produce for the vegivores. He does that
alternate Wednesdays!!

Two more chickens will be safe and happy forever!!! They were living in
a not safe place, but joined us yesterday. They're in the hospital now
and should be healed up and ready to meet their new friends in Chicken
City in a few weeks.

Jeanette: Have you ever looked into your cats eyes, and felt that
incredible connection, like he was trying to tell you something? Felt
the love pour out of your heart and connect with his eyes. It's the
most incredible feeling ... I believe cats are from heaven, sent by God
as little 4 legged angles, to love and guard us. I believe my cats
guard me all the times. Especially at food time!

Winky Lobe Mom is all excited to go back to "kitty heaven" (aka Rikki's
Refuge) this weekend...

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=110928565622329
I sure hope you can see this!!! Ken, you got the turtle. We'll have
kittens ready to go in a week!!!

I'm a frog today !!!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4696214360/
I'll keep cool hopping from lilly pad to lilly pad !!!!
VOTE now - and today - tell three friends to vote.
http://bit.ly/bDLKJY Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA

Frankie: One year ago today, my sister Lucy came to live with us. Never
a dull moment since. I complain about her a lot, but she's the best
partner in crime a dog could have. Happy Lucy Day!!!

Teagan - http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4729744863/

Lesley: Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so
love the people who treat you right, forget about the ones that don't.
Believe that everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, take
it, if it changes your life, let it!!. No body said that it'd be easy,
they just promised that it would be worth it!!"

Rita: My dog is happy to see me when I get home from work BEFORE asking
for dinner and happily eats whatever I feed her. Why can't husbands be
that way?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4730390342/
You just can't tell me the world isn't getting better and better every
day!!! More and more of you are out there saving the animals and
making planet earth a more compassionate place.

Ontario Feral Cats Benefit Auction, June 30, 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm, Ontario
Golf Club, Great Stuff, including a sailboat, a rifle, power tools,
antiques and more. Good food. Fun people. Call 541-889-6711 or
541-823-2427 for tickets

We're having an auction at the golf tournament and festival
got any good things you'd like to see us auction off ..... let me
know, we need more donations of neat things!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4313928885/

Friends with color printers!!! Donna needs 125 copies of the Funland
flyer - http://www.rikkisrefuge.org/Rikkis/funland%20day.html - for the
goodie bags at the Golf Tournament and Festival. Can you print them
out for me??? Purrrlease.....

Emma: Was worth waiting since December for this boy to find the perfect
home! Cracker went trotting off to his new life today.

Julie writes in that her life has gone to the dogs!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4730390326/

Humphrey: next time you go to a restaurant and ask for a Coke, and they
say "is Pepsi OK?", you should reply "is Monopoly money OK?"

The cat's point of view: I can't decide whether to stay in or go out....
Better get the human to keep opening the door so I can check both sides.

Elizabeth: Hope is a comet on which dreams ride like the little prince.
The more you can hope the brighter it is and the more dreams ride.

Marilyn: is SO grateful for my life. Lord, thank you for my blessings
and thank you for my struggles. Blessings provide strength while my
struggles keep me humble.

Jeanette: Good news! Babette found a home, thank you Mandy and Vera, you
gave her a second chance, no money can ever buy what you did today!!

HELP me get SPEUTERED !!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMzW3LIkNLA&feature=player_embedded
Only $300 to go !!!!
http://rikkisrefuge.chipin.com/doubling-your-donations-speuter-for-fathers-day
The computer did it !!!! Some how this chip in got closed out at 8:33
am yesterday - it was supposed to run thru midnight today. Thank you
for telling me about this when you tried to donate!! Jan's given us an
extension since we lost a day - we now have till midnight on the 25th -
tomorrow - to reach the goal and she'll double it with a $1,000 gift!!!

Keep Cool !!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoesPOnRbSo
who can do animation like this for Rikki's???

Will YOU be my HERO today? http://www.rikkisrefuge.org/donate.php

VOTE EVERYDAY !!!!!
http://bit.ly/bDLKJY Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA

I love you all very very much!! You are my LIFE !!!! Tour next Sunday
July 4th, noon, please come visit me!!!
Love, Vincent

PS If you don't want your Daily Good New, just let me know! A couple of
you have said you only want Hairballs with out the Good News!! That's
ok! Just tell me. I'm here to make you happy, just tell me how! If
Good New don't make you happy - I could always start Bad News, but, as
you hoomans say, why reinvent the wheel - that's what you've got tv and
newspapers for !!!!!

--
Have you Voted for Rikki's Today?

Vote Right Now! We can win $s if we have the most votes by August 22,
2010 - you can vote everyday - it's FREE - get everybody you know voting!!!

Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA
http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/shelterchallenge.faces?siteId=3&link=ctg_ars_shelterchallenge_from_home_sidetabs

Vincent D. Cat, Official Spokes Cat of Rikki's Refuge

JOIN THE RIKKI'S FAMILY
http://www.rikkisrefuge.org/donate.php

Not a Rikki's Family Member? For only $45 you can join for a year and
receive your electronic subscription to HAIRBALLS and paper subscription
to REFLECTIONS

DONATE NOW save a life today
http://www.rikkisrefuge.org/donate.php

RIKKI'S REFUGE a 367 acre, no-kill, all species peaceful sanctuary
supported solely by donations of kind and loving individuals, just like
you.

Your donations provide direct support. A financial statement is
available upon written request from the State Office of Consumer
Affairs. All material in this e-mail is copyrighted and cannot be used
for any purpose other than to bring awareness of Rikki's Refuge and the
plight of unwanted animals to the public. Any monetary gain attributed
to this material must be donated to Rikki's.

Phone: 540-854-0870
Address: PO Box 1357, Orange VA 22960
Member: paypal.com (mail@rikkisrefuge.org),
CFC 77674, CVC 3163, PetsMart Charities #1377
Web page: http://www.rikkisrefuge.org
E-mail: Vincent@RikkisRefuge.org

Good Morning Good News !!!! June 23, 2010

If you find yourself stuck in the jungle .... you can still vote !!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4726493051/
Everybody is working to help us win!!!
http://bit.ly/bDLKJY Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA

Good Samaritan is helping traveling cat make trip home
The tabby's trek took him from Albuquerque to Chicago during the eight
months he was missing.

Chicago — No one knows how a tabby cat named Charles traveled the
1,100-plus miles from his New Mexico home to Chicago, but he's set for a
complimentary flight home on American Airlines in a carrier donated by
an Albuquerque business. Charles disappeared about eight months ago
while his owner was out of town and a friend was caring for him. "Oh, I
was crushed. And I found out while I was away volunteering with Habitat
for Humanity, and I was so upset because I was in New Orleans so there
was nothing I could do," said Robin Alex of Albuquerque.

Then last week, Alex received a call telling her Chicago Animal Care and
Control had picked up her wandering cat as a stray. Staffers reached out
to Alex after finding that Charles had a tracking microchip embedded
between his shoulder blades, said the agency's executive director,
Cherie Travis. But Alex said she could not afford the round-trip ticket
to Chicago to bring Charles home, so she was afraid he might be euthanized.

Enter fellow Albuquerque resident Lucien Sims. Sims said he has a tabby
cat who strongly resembles Charles, and was moved when his mother sent
him an online story about Alex and her pet. Sims was on his way to
Chicago on Thursday for a wedding, so he said he would go to the
shelter, pick up Charles and bring him back to New Mexico. Sims has
made all the arrangements for Charles' return, including getting a
company to donate a cat carrier and American Airlines to waive the cat's
travel fee. Travis said Charles was ready for his next adventure.

You are signed up for the golf tournament and festival, aren't you!!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4313928837/

They crossed a Malamute and a Pointer. The new breed is a Moot Point,
owned by....oh, well, it doesn't really matter. (from Walker)

I'm a pig again today !!!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4696214230/
Mom's snickering and making oink noises at me!
VOTE now - and today - tell three friends to vote.
http://bit.ly/bDLKJY Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA

A woman is walking in the park when she sees a man playing chess with
his cat. She says to the man "I can't believe what I m seeing, a cat
that plays chess, what a clever animal!!" The man replied "Nah lady this
cats not clever at all I m beating it 6 games to 1? (by Suzzie)

Only $300 to go !!!!
http://rikkisrefuge.chipin.com/fathers-day
If we can raise just $300 more before midnight tomorrow - we'll get the
bonus $1,000 !!!! Help us if you can !!!!

Jaguars Are Lured By the Smell of Calvin Klein Cologne
GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters Life!) – Biologists tracking jaguars in the
Guatemalan jungle might smell nice but it's all in the name of science,
with researchers finding the Calvin Klein cologne Obsession for Men
attracts big cats.

Biologists Rony Garcia and Jose Moreira from the Wildlife Conservation
Society's (WCS) Jaguar Conservation Program say they use hidden cameras
as a primary source for observing and tracking jaguars in Guatemala's
Maya Biosphere Reserve.

But they also rely on Obsession for Men, a cologne known for its complex
scent, to help lure then research and hopefully ultimately preserve
jaguars in the Central American country.

"The method we are using to study the jaguars here in Guatemala is a
non-invasive method which is based on photographing the individuals by
using camera traps," Moreira told Reuters Television.

"It has been very useful using Obsession (for Men) to get the jaguars in
front of these camera traps ... and that allows us to estimate with
greater confidence the genders and the numbers that live in each studied
site."

The discovery that Obsession for Men acted as a magnet for jaguars was
the result of an experiment by the WCS's Bronx Zoo in New York.

The WCS was looking for ways to get cheetahs in front of camera traps,
and, after several years of testing with different fragrances, found
spraying the musky Obsession For Men near the heat-and-motion-sensitive
cameras drew the cats for longer than other scents.

They also tried out about 23 other fragrances but Obsession for Men kept
the cats' attention for longest with Nina Ricci's L'Air du Temps coming
second.

The practice made its way down to Guatemala, where Garcia and Moreira
said they have been recording similar success in the wild since 2007,
allowing them to track jaguars and even record their mating rituals.

Garcia said the results will be invaluable to conservation efforts.

"These camera traps help us to identify how many jaguars are living in
this area ... (and) helps us to have control over the population and
lets us say to the government, to the public, that Laguna del Tigre
still deserves conservation," he said.

The WCS said it tentatively plans to expand the use of the cologne in
programs in Venezuela, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador in coming years.

Be my HERO !!!!!! VOTE EVERYDAY !!!!!
http://bit.ly/bDLKJY Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA

Happiness is not so much in having as sharing. We make a living by what
we get, but we make a life by what we give. ---Norman MacEwan

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4727225574/

Who's HERO are YOU going to be today?

Love, Vincent

PS If you don't want your Daily Good New, just let me know! A couple of
you have said you only want Hairballs with out the Good News!! That's
ok! Just tell me. I'm here to make you happy, just tell me how! If
Good New don't make you happy - I could always start Bad News, but, as
you hoomans say, why reinvent the wheel - that's what you've got tv and
newspapers for !!!!!

--
Have you Voted for Rikki's Today?

Vote Right Now! We can win $s if we have the most votes by August 22,
2010 - you can vote everyday - it's FREE - get everybody you know voting!!!

Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA
http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/shelterchallenge.faces?siteId=3&link=ctg_ars_shelterchallenge_from_home_sidetabs

Vincent D. Cat, Official Spokes Cat of Rikki's Refuge

JOIN THE RIKKI'S FAMILY
http://www.rikkisrefuge.org/donate.php

Not a Rikki's Family Member? For only $45 you can join for a year and
receive your electronic subscription to HAIRBALLS and paper subscription
to REFLECTIONS

DONATE NOW save a life today
http://www.rikkisrefuge.org/donate.php

RIKKI'S REFUGE a 367 acre, no-kill, all species peaceful sanctuary
supported solely by donations of kind and loving individuals, just like
you.

Your donations provide direct support. A financial statement is
available upon written request from the State Office of Consumer
Affairs. All material in this e-mail is copyrighted and cannot be used
for any purpose other than to bring awareness of Rikki's Refuge and the
plight of unwanted animals to the public. Any monetary gain attributed
to this material must be donated to Rikki's.

Phone: 540-854-0870
Address: PO Box 1357, Orange VA 22960
Member: paypal.com (mail@rikkisrefuge.org),
CFC 77674, CVC 3163, PetsMart Charities #1377
Web page: http://www.rikkisrefuge.org
E-mail: Vincent@RikkisRefuge.org

Hairballs and Happy Tails - Rikki's Refuge Newsletter a

RIKKI'S REFUGE - HAIRBALLS AND HAPPY TAILS
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4654847890/
The newsletter of thanks from grateful animals to their beloved rescuers
brought to you by Vincent D. Cat

We are the happy animals of Rikki's Refuge who so thank you for giving
us the gift of our lives. 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
HOLY COW !!!!
And along with summer comes FUN FUN FUN ......
WE'VE GOT SO MUCH GOING ON
Remember - life is subject to change
Gotta write a "What I Did This Summer" composition in the fall?
Don't say you don't have enough time.
JULY 4TH IS THE NEXT TOUR
JAN GAVE A WONDERFUL TOUR ON THE 13TH!!!!
We celebrated Carolyn's 84th Birthday!!
Things I've Learned The Hard Way, No. 3,575
AUGUST 15TH BIRTHDAY BASH OPEN HOUSE!!
MOM WAS ENTERING STUFF ON THE COMPUTER THIS MORNING.
GOLF TOURNAMENT AND FESTIVAL JULY 16TH FRIDAY
I'm looking for three more on MY team
The excitement is piling up every day
Is this like gorgeous, or what?
VERY IMPORTANT
D'artagnan's new home
SUMMER OF YOUTH STARTS THURSDAY
OK .. SIT ... STAY ... TAKE A TEA BREAK
IS ALL THIS HEAT MAKING YOU THINK ABOUT BEING ON THE WATER?
Got Five Bucks for a Boat???
Do you LIKE Music? LOVE Music?
WANT TO LEARN NEW SKILLS?
MAKE RIKKI'S BEAUTIFUL
RABBIT ROTUNDA II IS GOING UP!
DOUBLE YOUR DONATION
Make YOUR critters as famous as ME !!!!
I'M ON TV AGAIN
SO YOU KNOW THE OFFICE HAS A LOFT.
Nobody messes with Snickers.
So Sam is up in the loft snoozing.
Hiss snarl, kaboom..clatter..clunk
Voting EVERY DAY is really important
Do you know what money means at Rikki's?
You are my HERO
MY BROFUR SPIDER WENT TO RAINBOW BRIDGE
Some of you may think this is bad new.
Live long and prosper, all my leukemia friends!!!
$47 a month provides the total care for one kitty!!!!
FROM THE RAINBOW BRIDGE
OBVIOUSLY IF YOU'RE READING THIS
EVERY MORNING??? WOW THAT'S A LOT OF GOOD NEWS.
If you're not getting Good Morning Good News
FUN AT FUNLAND FEEDS THE FATCATS
World's Best Pet Parent Photo Contest
CHILI COOK OFF
OUR CURRENT NEEDS
WHERE IN THE WORLD IS VINCENT ?
THANK YOU
THE FINE PRINT

HOLY COW !!!!
We're on the shortening side of the summer solstice!!! Doesn't it seem
like just a few short weeks ago we were trying to dig out from
underneath the snow!!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4727311656/

And along with summer comes FUN FUN FUN ......
And voting every day to win money for Rikki's http://bit.ly/bDLKJY
Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA

WE'VE GOT SO MUCH GOING ON
at Rikki's - I sure hope you can join us.

Remember - life is subject to change
without notice - make yours change for the better !! Get involved.
Save a life !! Have the best summer ever with Rikki's Refuge.

Gotta write a "What I Did This Summer" composition in the fall?
Make it great. Have experineces like lassoing goats, training dogs,
finding forever homes for pound puppies and kittens, dancing with emus,
full moon walks in the wood, being surrounded by the endless purring and
love of 600 kitties, learning to paint, to build, to remodel rooms, AND
MORE !!!! There's no better place to spend your summer than at
Rikki's. Get involved NOW: Vincent@RikkisRefuge.org

Don't say you don't have enough time.
You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to
Helen Keller, Louis Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da
Vinci, Thomas Jefferson and Albert Einstein. - H. Jackson Brown, Jr.,
author of Life's Little Instruction Book

JULY 4TH IS THE NEXT TOUR
at noon, one tour and one tour only - so please be prompt. Sun hat and
all that good stuff - it's out side, and right now anyway, it's hot hot
hot !!!!! Gates open at 11:30 am and admission is 14 cases of Fancy
Feast per person. (((-----VINCENT .... What have I told you about
sticking to the rules????-----))) Ok ok so it's only two cans of cat
food per person - but you COULD be extra generous and bring me 14 cases
of Fancy Feast.

JAN GAVE A WONDERFUL TOUR ON THE 13TH!!!!
Everybody had lots and lots of fun!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4699876012/

Of course me getting love and pats is the best part of any tour!!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4699075745/

Look at all the food donated to ME !!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4699076623/

We celebrated Carolyn's 84th Birthday!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4699077219/
Happy Birthday to you !!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6x2heewrI4
Birthday cake by Katarina's mom who's a professional cake maker!!! Yum
Yum Yum. Want a deliciously beautiful cake for any occasion - ask us!
Fredericksburg Va area.

Things I've Learned The Hard Way, No. 3,575
No matter how tempting it looks, DON'T lick velcro.
Posted by Waldo A. Cat

AUGUST 15TH BIRTHDAY BASH OPEN HOUSE!!
Rikki's Refuge will be 12 years old. Just like me!!! Larry will be at
the grill again. Is it my imagination, or does he really outdo himself
every time ??? And the Wonderful Greg Allen Band will be there to
entertain you while you eat!!! Put it on your calendar NOW. August
15th, rain or shine, heat or snow!!! Noon till 4 pm!!!

MOM WAS ENTERING STUFF ON THE COMPUTER THIS MORNING.
She uses a voice thing to talk to the computer. I don't get it, it
won't work for me, no matter what I say all it types is MEOW MEOW MEOW -
anyway, so Mom's entering this data, and it has dates and she's reading
it off 6 slash 21 slash 10 - and being the stupid hooman that she is,
can't figure out why Snickers keeps reaching around the computer and
slapping her, with claws fully extended!

GOLF TOURNAMENT AND FESTIVAL JULY 16TH FRIDAY
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4313928863/
This is going to be so much fun. Every year it gets better and better
and this year we've added SO SO SO much more to the program. It's gonna
be a whole day of fantastic fun for everyone. Golfers can start the day
off on the greens, for the rest of us it's visiting with the spokes
animals, vendors with wonderful things, a live auction, door prizes,
raffles and a great buffet lunch. Please let me know if you're
coming!!!! I'll save you a spot.

I'm looking for three more on MY team
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4727311700/
who'll help me chase a little white ball thru the grass. Lots of rest
stops with lovely clean white sand !!!!!! PLEASE come play with me
!!!!! Email me for your tickets!!! Vincent@RikkisRefuge.org

The excitement is piling up every day
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4313928837/
- more and more fun is being added. There's something for everyone !!!
PLEASE get your tickets early BEFORE they sell out.

Is this like gorgeous, or what?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4715196914/
This print will be on auction at the July 16th Golf Tournament and
Festival. We've got lots of new fun and excitement added for the event
this year, including a live auction. Keep watching this site:
http://www.rikkisrefuge.org/Rikkis/Golf2010.html to see what's coming
your way.

Keep up with the added excitement here, be sure you buy your tickets in
advance, the price goes up at the door.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4311478541/

Greg Allen is our featured performer for this event. You'll love him as
much as I do!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E35dIPAq3j4

VERY IMPORTANT
I have lots of animals signed up to help at the Golf Tournament - I NEED
- DESPERATELY NEED - at least SIX more HOOMANS - if you walk on two and
use the other two to carry things around - can speak reasonably decent
hooman talk - and can follow at least a few simple commands - PLEASE
HELP ME !!!! Sign up now, I beg you Vincent@RikkisRefuge.org Ok I did
it. I begged. I feel like a dawg.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4314665344/

D'artagnan's new home
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4724507170/
Having a little lunch watching the World cup
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4724507414/
Look close if you want to find him.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4724507622/

A great big thank you to Ken, Gina for giving D'artagnan a wonderful
forever home and to David for donating housing!!!!

Together we DO change the world!!!! You are D'artagnan's HEROES!
You've taken him from the streets of DC where he was being bumped and
banged about to a wonderful luxury home where his every need will be met.

SUMMER OF YOUTH STARTS THURSDAY
A 10 week long course for youth and those young at heart. You'll be
learning all about the animals of Rikki's Refuge - all 22 species !!!
Helping to feed and clean, train dogs with a professional, fundraising,
and all kinds of fun fun fun. Make your summer COUNT!!! Ask me how you
can join us !!!!

OK .. SIT ... STAY ... TAKE A TEA BREAK
Yummy exotic teas !!! Mommey loves these!! www.prismtea.com
Order anything from now until the end of the July 2010, and 15% of the
profits will be donated to Rikki's Refuge. My facebook friend Rainbow
Diamond arranged this for us!!! Thank you Rainbow.

It is NOT too early to stock up for Christmas !!!!!

Tell everybody you know about this lovely delicious deal!!!!

Lovely encyclopedia of exotic teas: http://www.prismtea.com/tea-gifts.html

I'll stick with Fancy Feast but mommey would sure love some of these if
anybody wants to reward her for opening my Fancy Feast !!!!
http://www.prismtea.com/showTea.php?id=ToppingChaiSugarOrganic
http://www.prismtea.com/showTea.php?id=WhiteDokeJasmine
http://www.prismtea.com/showTea.php?id=BlackVanilla
http://www.prismtea.com/showTea.php?id=ChaiMasala2Organic

IS ALL THIS HEAT MAKING YOU THINK ABOUT BEING ON THE WATER?
Always wanted to be able to hook up that boat trailer, head out to your
favorite lake and just laze around on the water? What's stopping you?
$ ka-ching $ ka-ching$ ka-ching Oh!! Yeah!! That hooman money thing!!!
Where are YOU going to get the $s to own your very own boat - and
trailer too????

Got Five Bucks for a Boat???
Yeah!! You heard me right!! At Rikki's Refuge $5 could buy you a
boat!!!

The boat is a 14 foot aluminium hull Somkercraft 1998. The trailer is a
one axel 1997 Sealion.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4699078005/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4699708218/

For $5 you could be driving this boat away after the Open House on
August 15th !!! This could be the luckiest $5 you spend all summer !!!

$5 buys you one ticket. $100 buys you 25 tickets!!!! Splurge - it's
all to feed the animals !!!

http://www.rikkisrefuge.org/donate.php
Be sure to comment that's it's for the boat raffle until it gets up on
our web page proper!

Do you LIKE Music? LOVE Music?
Mike made us a fabulous 20 minute slide show. We want to have a cd of
music to play along side it. maybe more than one!!! Can you come up
with a cd of your favorite tunes that portray a feeling of love and
compassion and feeling? Something uplifting, joyous, inspiring, happy.
I'd like to hear your choice. Send your cd to Vincent, Rikki's
Refuge, PO Box 1357, Orange VA 22960

WANT TO LEARN NEW SKILLS?
Join us as we work on summer projects.
The new Quarantine Quarters needs exterior painting, interior insultion,
wall boards and ceilings, lighting, vinyl flooring - some and help out
and learn how to improve YOUR own home !!! Please bring an 18 pound bag
of cat food as admission to each class.

MAKE RIKKI'S BEAUTIFUL
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4727225592/
Rene??? Nothing will ever beat Pana, but we can give her some
competition!!!!
Available: HUGE surfaces just waiting for murals!!!!

RABBIT ROTUNDA II IS GOING UP!
The poles are in. This Saturday is trenching so the fence will be
recessed for diggers. Chain link goes on next. Gates get installed. A
center structure / gazabo goes up, the roof goes on. Please bring 20
pounds of guinea pig or rabbit food as admission to work on this project !!!

DOUBLE YOUR DONATION
http://rikkisrefuge.chipin.com/fathers-day
This wonderful double your donation special is going on thru midnight on
the 24th. Not much time left. If we can reach $1,000 here - It will be
matched with another $1,000 !!! Please Chip In !!!!

Make YOUR critters as famous as ME !!!!
We're having a photo contest!!! And it's open now - here's the low
down.
Entry fee is: $10 per photo.
Enter as often as you like, as many photos as you like, as many animals
as you like.
Animals - of any species, any number, but no humans - may be in the
photo.
Animals must be the central focus of the picture.
It can be your pets, wildlife or what ever.
Give us your best shot!

You can enter via e-mail by submitting your entry fee here
http://www.rikkisrefuge.org/donate.php and then submitting your photo to
mail@RikkisRefuge.org - use the same e-mail address on both so we can
link them up. Please limit photos to 5 x 7 inches and 72 dpi. We might
not be able to down load anything else.

You can mail your photo or a disk to us along with your entry fee:
Rikki's Refuge Photo Contest, PO Box 1357, Orange VA 22960.

All entries must be in by August 3rd at midnight. Our judges will
select their favorite 12 photos. These will go on display at the August
15th Open House and the public will pick the final winner. The top 12
will be on the web site. The winner will be displayed in full size in
Reflections. The runner ups will be there but smaller. Sorry, only so
much space!!! These 12 photos will then be turned into Rikki's Refuge
2011 downloadable calendar just for YOU - our very special hoomans who
make our lives possible!!!

So get out there and start snapping away.

You know how the fine print goes. You must have to have rights to the
photo!!! Once submitted Rikki's has rights to use the photos. Photos
don't get returned. Decisions are final, blah blah blah.....

I'M ON TV AGAIN
in Prince William !!!! Getting a massage from Ms. Virginia! Jealous
?????
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rhXXbLqy0c

SO YOU KNOW THE OFFICE HAS A LOFT.
Snickers the evil office kitty has claimed this as HER domain! There's
a ladder and she can zip up and down at lightning speed. Especially if
she sees Lena coming. She hates Lena. Lena cuts her claws and gives
her icky worming medicine and puts stinky flea drops on her. She hates
Lena. the minute she sees Lena, she starts snarling and growling and
heads straight up her ladder.

Nobody messes with Snickers.
This is what she does if you do.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4454539347/

Sam, 20 years old, has recently learned to go up and down the ladder to
the loft. Well up anyway. He does up really good. He's still a bit
awkward on the down part. Me? I don't do ladders!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4479881710/

So Sam is up in the loft snoozing.
Snickers is sitting half way on the ladder not yet decided if it's up
time or down time. She spends a lot of time just sitting on a rung of
the ladder undecided. Ancient Psycho Shadow comes in the office and mom
opens a can for him.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4685189111/

Hiss snarl, kaboom..clatter..clunk
Sam hears that pop top and in a flash he's coming down the ladder - to
heck with Snickers in the way - trying to bound over her, around her, he
don't care he just wants down. Snickers, caught in the middle of some
commotion she's yet to figure out what, starts bounding up the ladder.
They collide and spat and hiss and slap. But lucky nobody falls off.
And Sam gets down to take the food away from Shadow.

Voting EVERY DAY is really important
http://bit.ly/bDLKJY Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA
Please make this a really serious campaign. Get every body you know to
vote. Invite just three new people every day to start voting. If you
will be willing to spend just a couple minutes voting for me every day
thru August 22, you can keep Rikki's as the top in the state and we can
win money.

Do you know what money means at Rikki's?
It means LIFE. Plain and simple. With out money we don't get to live.
Mom needs money to care for us.

You are my HERO
Thanks for voting every day !!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4714244838/
http://bit.ly/bDLKJY Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA

MY BROFUR SPIDER WENT TO RAINBOW BRIDGE
It happened very suddenly the other night. It looked like he had a
stroke. He was a great big healthy long haired black boy. He had
leukemia, but had always been very healthy. He came here almost 6 years
ago, when he was only 12 weeks old. He had the longest gangly legs, and
he skittered all over the place, up and down walls. He was just growing
in long hair and looked all prickly and scraggly and that's why he got
the name Spider. He was always full of life and loved everything, his
human visitors, his brofurs and sisfurs. He'd love to greet new kittens
and play with them his whole life. Everybody was Spider's friend. He's
the guy in Cat House #2 who'd ride shoulders. Just the second you
stepped in he'd run for you and climb up to your shoulder and ride
around rubbing your face and purring. Every now and then he'd leap off,
do racing circles around the run and then climb back up again.

You have lots of friends at Rainbow Bridge Spider, I'm glad you had 6
years to love life.

Some of you may think this is bad new.
But I think it's good news. Spider had six wonderful years of
happiness, joy and fun. He never knew there was a thing wrong with him.
Did his leukemia kill him? It probably, at least, contributed to it.
But even hoomans in their 30's can suddenly die from something like a
stroke. I don't think Spider was ever sick a day in his life, at least
never anything more than a cold. But that blood test in a shelter,
those six long years ago, when he was just a poor little orphaned stray
kitten - was a death sentence.

If you were not there making Rikki's Refuge possible, not creating this
safe haven for animals society does not consider worth saving - he'd
have been dead 6 years ago. Instead YOU saved him and YOU allowed him
to live a wonderful life of joy for all the time possible, a full six
years.

The older a cat is when he contracts leukemia the longer they usually
live with the disease. A kitten born with it often only has months or a
year or two at best to live. Six years is fabulous!!!

Was his life worth it? It cost $3,384 to house him for six years,
provide for him, feed him, give him routine preventative medications,
vitamins and supplements, lots of yummy food, canned and dry and treats
and special nums, to give him clean litter, a clean blanket, to mow his
grass and keep his house in good repair.

I think that $3,384 was very well spent!! I loved my brofur Spider,
even though I wasn't allowed to play with him (cuz I don't have
leukemia). I know he thought it was worth it!!!! He was the purfect
picture of a kitty loving life.

Live long and prosper, all my leukemia friends!!!
We have donors out there who agree that your lives are worth it!!!!
No matter how long or how short - every day is worth it.

$47 a month provides the total care for one kitty!!!!
This is story time and not nagging time, yet if you can, would you help
us care for the kitties and the doggies and the goats and the pigs ....
here. It's really difficult this month, I think lots of folks are on
vacation and have forgotten to support us. The 'lectricity goes off on
the 27th and I won't be able to write to you anymore cuz the 'puter
needs 'lectricity. http://www.rikkisrefuge.org/donate.php

FROM THE RAINBOW BRIDGE
Spider sent me a photo and I was surprised!
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs347.ash1/29504_130714486946075_100000225729967_377839_4026602_n.jpg
He told me his home coming present was a brand new truck and a set of
keys! Bast pointed to the Rainbow Bridge and said, There my friend, on
the other side of the bridge is a kitty food store where the doors are
always open and you need no money! And off Spider zoomed .... he's
trying to find a way to send some back to this side !!!!!

OBVIOUSLY IF YOU'RE READING THIS
you get Hairballs and Happy Tails. This comes out about once a week ..
or when I can get my paws on the 'puter. Once upon a time, not so very
long ago, there was so much Bad News going around on facebook that
morning that I was getting depressed so I posted Good Morning Good News
and told a couple happy stories. I needed to smile and feel good. I
work better when I feel good. When I smile I remember why I work my
paws to the bone saving my kindred spirits. When I get sad and
depressed I think I'm just getting no where and then I don't do such a
good job.

I was so surprised when lots of my friends wrote and said WOW thank YOU
for making my day. I was drying and when I read your post, I smiled and
I was able to get back in the swing of things and do good. Please send
me a note every morning!

EVERY MORNING??? WOW THAT'S A LOT OF GOOD NEWS.
But I decided to do it. One of my very important jobs is to make YOU
happy. When YOU are happy, when YOU feel empowered, it's easier for YOU
to be somebody's HERO !!!!

Soon some of my Hairball friends heard about how happy my face book
friends were and they asked to get a subscription to Good Morning Good
News and so it began. I had my special list of my VIP friends who help
out at Rikki's a lot and they start their day with a smile thanks to
Good Morning Good News.

If you're not getting Good Morning Good News
I'd be happy to give you a subscription. Can you guess what the price
is? Oh I know, you're thinking that sly kitty, he's gonna ask for
something like Fancy Feast. But you're wrong!!! I'm gonna ask that you
smile and that every day you try, just one little bit of a few minutes,
to be somebody's HERO. That'll make you smile too.

If you want to start getting Good Morning Good News tomorrow just put on
a big smile and tell me !!! Vincent@RikkisRefuge.org

FUN AT FUNLAND FEEDS THE FATCATS
And everybody else too !!!!

YOU get to PLAY and have FUN - WE get to EAT !!!! Now what better deal
is there?
Have Fun and Help the Rikki's Animals

http://www.rikkisrefuge.org/Rikkis/funland%20day.html --- print your
flyer here, you MUST have this flyer in hand when you buy your entrance
wristband to get this SPECIAL PRICE and to participate in the FUNDRAISER
FOR RIKKI'S. Print out a dozen and take all your friends.

Somebody come pick me up - I wanna ride a bumper car !!!!!

Print out hundreds of flyers and pass them out everywhere - Funland will
donate $5 to Rikki's for every participant on July 24th!!!!

Central Park Fun Land
1351 Central Park Boulevard, Fredericksburg (540) 785-6700
www.centralparkfun-land.com
Saturday, July 24, 2010 2:00 PM-10:00 PM
$20 Unlimited Rides & Attractions (For an additional $5, receive $10
in arcade tokens! Games are 1 or 2 tokens each.)
For every wristband sold Rikki's Refuge will get $5

You must present this flyer when purchasing the wristband for this
special price
http://www.rikkisrefuge.org/Rikkis/funland%20day.html
so print out a dozen and keep them in your car!

TONS OF FUN INDOORS AND OUT!!!
40,000+ square foot facility, over 4 acres, arcade games, food, rides,
and attractions, Two Go Kart Tracks, Bumper Boats, Batting Cage, Laser
Tag, Rock Wall, Bumper Cars, The Frog Hopper, The Himalaya, The
Jett-Star indoor mini roller coaster, HUGE Soft Play Maze for the kids,
Billiard Tables, Over 100 Video and Arcade Games, Pizza and tasty
treats, Miniature Golf, Water Wars NEWEST WATER BALLOON WARZONE!

WOW something for everybody - no matter how young or how old you are -
this is THE place to be on July 24th. You PARTY - We EAT !!!!

You must present the flyer when purchasing the wristband for this
special price.

Have fun! Who's taking Vincent on the go-carts??
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4727204992/

World's Best Pet Parent Photo Contest
http://www.petfinder.com/best-pet-parent-contest
Enter the best pic of you and your pet, and a short essay on why you are
the best parent, before July 25th. Designate your favorite shelter as
Virginia, Rikki Refuge and if your picture is the best Rikki's can win
up to $10,000. EVERYBODY get out there and enter. All entries are
great publicity for Rikki's AND

I'll put your photos and essays in future editions of Hairballs too !!!

CHILI COOK OFF
Ahhh to hot for that -- but by October 17th from Noon to 4 pm when
Culpeper Animal Hospital has their fall animal fundraiser you'll be
looking forward to something warming!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4727225486/
Block that date off in your calendar!!!!

OUR CURRENT NEEDS
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4727225538/

Money - gotta catch up on the bills, really critical right now, mom's
been making phone calls and begging to be allowed to get more food, more
time to pay up. Things had been going ok since Christmas and then
Summer can and I guess everybody's gone off on vacation and forgot to
help us out. We have no way of getting money except from you nice
hoomans. If you can help, please, please do -- if every one of you
just spared us $5 it'd keep us going another week.
http://www.rikkisrefuge.org/donate.php

Need pickup in Aroda in early July - can you help?
John writes in: Hi. We live in Aroda, near Good Hope Baptist Church.
We're remodeling our kitchen and have a Kenmore 21 cu ft, Energy Star
(very quiet), bisque refrigerator that we want to give to charity. It
was purchased new in 2002 and is in excellent condition. If you're
interested, someone would have to pick it up the beginning of July. We
can be reached at 540-661-3275.
John and Linda Cann lcann.diabetes@gmail.com If you can help please
contact them. We're ok right now, but would feel very comfortable and
safe with a fridge in storage for the next disaster ......

Spare Newspapers? Recycle them here! We're saving bunches using them
instead of puppy pads!

Pray that the cat litter packaging factory will have an extra pallet to
donate soon!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4341980865/

Nice smelling stuff to put in the mop water - but no pine sol type stuff
as the pine oil is bad for us.

Cat food - how'd you guess !!! Canned and dry are really needed bad here.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4685189111/

High protein high fat puppy food for Lucky doggy who desperately is
trying to gain some weight.
Hey doggies, get your mom or dad to make a $25 minimum donation for Feed
Lucky Fund and I'll send you a sample pack of dog treats !!!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4654847990/

Carrots, apples, spinich for the rabbits:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/194806638

Paper Towels: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/3654855155

Oranges for the guinea pigs.

Romaine Lettuce for Nanny.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4311420679/

Cat food - anything, dry and canned needed - either that or take a cat !!!!!

17 sheets of a good quality tile board for the walls of the new
quarantine building. We're ready to insulate and then put up the
board!!! Wanna come help!!

Tarps for shade.

Small kids plastic swimming pools. No silly, the goats don't use them.
The ducks and geese do!

Trash bags.

Sandwich sized zip lock baggies - for meds.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4726579689/
YOU and your MOWER - come on out and get to work !!!!!!

YOUR vote !!!! http://bit.ly/bDLKJY Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS VINCENT ?
Web: www.RikkisRefuge.org
Twitter: rikkisrefuge
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Vincent-D-Cat/370191432578?v=photos&ref=ts#!/pages/Vincent-D-Cat/370191432578?ref=ts
Blog: http://rikkisrefuge.blogspot.com/
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/
TV: http://vimeo.com/11079648 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rhXXbLqy0c
Vote: http://bit.ly/bDLKJY Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA

THANK YOU
For saving our lives and giving us hope and love and comfort and care
every single day!!!

True happiness is not attained through self-gratification, but through
fidelity to a worthy purpose.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4727225672/
See you next week!!!!

Love, Vincent
6/23/10

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 1200 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.

If you know others who'd enjoy reading about the exciting adventures at
Rikki's Refuge let me know and I'll be happy to include them. If you
are one of those strange humans who does not wish to laugh and cry with
us, simply reply with "REMOVE" and nothing but "REMOVE" in the subject
line.

--
Have you Voted for Rikki's Today?

Vote Right Now! We can win $s if we have the most votes by August 22,
2010 - you can vote everyday - it's FREE - get everybody you know voting!!!

Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA
http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/shelterchallenge.faces?siteId=3&link=ctg_ars_shelterchallenge_from_home_sidetabs

Vincent D. Cat, Official Spokes Cat of Rikki's Refuge

JOIN THE RIKKI'S FAMILY
http://www.rikkisrefuge.org/donate.php

Not a Rikki's Family Member? For only $45 you can join for a year and
receive your electronic subscription to HAIRBALLS and paper subscription
to REFLECTIONS

DONATE NOW save a life today
http://www.rikkisrefuge.org/donate.php

RIKKI'S REFUGE a 367 acre, no-kill, all species peaceful sanctuary
supported solely by donations of kind and loving individuals, just like
you.

Your donations provide direct support. A financial statement is
available upon written request from the State Office of Consumer
Affairs. All material in this e-mail is copyrighted and cannot be used
for any purpose other than to bring awareness of Rikki's Refuge and the
plight of unwanted animals to the public. Any monetary gain attributed
to this material must be donated to Rikki's.

Phone: 540-854-0870
Address: PO Box 1357, Orange VA 22960
Member: paypal.com (mail@rikkisrefuge.org),
CFC 77674, CVC 3163, PetsMart Charities #1377
Web page: http://www.rikkisrefuge.org
E-mail: Vincent@RikkisRefuge.org