December 10, 2023 – Rikki’s Tenth Day of Christmas

On the Tenth Day of Christmas, look what came to Rikki’s,

ten crotchety creaking canines,

Did you know most of the dogs at Rikki’s Refuge were given up simply because they got old? They couldn’t keep up on the morning jog, catching the frisbee got harder, those long hikes were just too much, they needed to get outside to pee more often, even waking people up in the night asking, or they had accidents. And they got dumped. The lucky ones ended up at Rikki’s Refuge where they can spend their retirement years with friends and lots of love at Doggy Downs.

Other dogs came to Rikki’s Refuge when their owners felt they needed too much medical care; diabetics, arthritis, seizures, kidney or heart issues. It’s costly, both the medication and the vet visits.

I’ll never understand why so many people don’t love their dogs enough to keep them their whole lives. When I get old and don’t walk so fast or need some medications, I sure hope those who love me don’t throw me out like trash. Don’t you?

Won’t you please help one of the dogs at Rikki’s Refuge today, or donate to help us be able to care for another dog with no safe place to go? Thank you.

Please make your tax deductible contribution by going to our website
https://RikkisRefuge.org/donate
or by mailing a check
Rikki’s Refuge, PO Box 1357, Orange VA 22960
or the site of your choice
Paypal https://paypal.me/RikkisRefuge
Paypal mail@RikkisRefuge.org
Square https://RR-square.shorturl.com
Venmo Rikki’s Refuge
Zelle mail@RikkisRefuge.org

THANK YOU FOR HELPING US!!!

#RikkisRefuge
#RikkisRefugeAnimalSanctuary

December 10, 2023 – A RAINY DAY

It’s a wet morning at Rikki’s Refuge.

The horses and other large animals don’t mind. The hoomans bundle up and try to stay dry, but it doesn’t stop the feeding and clean up. It just makes it harder to pooper scoop in the rain. YUCK !!

Pooper scoopers only last so long. And they break. Or an animal wrestles them away and chews them up! We need to buy a few more. The ones we use for large animals are $21.98 each.

Can you spare the change to buy us one?

Please make your tax deductible contribution by going to our website
https://RikkisRefuge.org/donate
or by mailing a check
Rikki’s Refuge, PO Box 1357, Orange VA 22960
or the site of your choice
Paypal https://paypal.me/RikkisRefuge
Paypal mail@RikkisRefuge.org
Square https://RR-square.shorturl.com
Venmo Rikki’s Refuge
Zelle mail@RikkisRefuge.org

THANK YOU FOR HELPING US!!!

#RikkisRefuge
#RikkisRefugeAnimalSanctuary

December 9, 2023 – Rikki’s Ninth Day of Christmas

On the Ninth Day of Christmas, look what came to Rikki’s,

nine grumpy geese,

And some of them sure can be! It’s one of the main reason people get rid of geese. They can bite much worse than you’d think. Some like to sneak up on you and nip the back of your knees. Other geese are dumped once they grow up, cus people just don’t think adult animals are as cute as babies. That baby goose swimming in your bathtub and pooping little poops might be fun. But the big goose flying around your apartment, chasing you out of his bathtub and pooping where ever (no, you can’t litterbox train the birds) is no longer so much fun!

The lucky ones end up at Rikki’s Refuge, the others on somebody’s table in a rather unhealthy state.

Geese are very vocal, a lot of the day. Where as the guinea fowl call out alerts over danger and intruders, the geese walk about several times a day just chattering away at each other. And Ohhh they love it when it rains !! They dig holes all over to make little puddle pools. We give them kiddy pools filled with fresh water every day, but they prefer the nice muddy holes they make !

We have dozens and dozens of geese living at Rikki’s Refuge and wondering all around.

And that means a lot of cracked corn, bird pellets, seeds, and fruits when ever they’re donated. They love fruit! And you know what else the birds need every day? Hoomans to scoop the poop, hoomans to hose the poop off the decks, the steps, the walkways. And the hoomans at Rikki’s are happy to clean up after the geese cus they know that’s what taking care of animals is all about. Those little acts of kindness and caring are what allow our geese and other birds, all the animals at Rikki’s Refuge to live long happy lives and never end up on somebody’s table.

Only $12.99 buys a bag of feed for the geese. Can they count on YOU to feed them today?

Please make your tax deductible contribution by going to our website
https://RikkisRefuge.org/donate
or by mailing a check
Rikki’s Refuge, PO Box 1357, Orange VA 22960
or the site of your choice
Paypal https://paypal.me/RikkisRefuge
Paypal mail@RikkisRefuge.org
Square https://RR-square.shorturl.com
Venmo Rikki’s Refuge
Zelle mail@RikkisRefuge.org

THANK YOU FOR HELPING US!!!

#RikkisRefuge
#RikkisRefugeAnimalSanctuary

December 9, 2023 – CATURDAY

HAPPY CATURDAY

Goliath’s found a cozy place to catnap on this Caturday. His job is to keep an eye on the hoomans while they work to keep everyone at Rikki’s fed and safe!

Goliath was given up to an adoption organization. He’s a big determined boy and if you let him have his way in everything, he’s just the most lovely wonderful friendly guy. But if Goliath doesn’t like your idea of what he should do at the moment, be held, be confined indoors, eat something he doesn’t like, be in his way, or what ever, he chomps you! HARD! After a few chomps and failed adoptions, Goliath came to live at Rikki’s Refuge. Where we love to be bitten! Well maybe not quite. But we do respect the independent minded kitties and love to earn their respect … and avoid being bitten. But we know it’s part of the job. Hooves, horns, fangs and claws – when you work with animals you will have opportunity to experience it all !!!

Can you help us keep the pantries full of Goliath’s favorite foods so we don’t bitten at dinner time?

Please make your tax deductible contribution by going to our website
https://RikkisRefuge.org/donate
or by mailing a check
Rikki’s Refuge, PO Box 1357, Orange VA 22960
or the site of your choice
Paypal https://paypal.me/RikkisRefuge
Paypal mail@RikkisRefuge.org
Square https://RR-square.shorturl.com
Venmo Rikki’s Refuge
Zelle mail@RikkisRefuge.org

THANK YOU FOR HELPING US!!!

#RikkisRefuge
#RikkisRefugeAnimalSanctuary

December 8, 2023 – Rikki’s Eighth Day of Christmas

On the Eighth Day of Christmas, look what came to Rikki’s,

eight kicking kittens,

Rikki’s Refuge is a sanctuary for the animals who are adoption challenged. Usually that means they are older, they have medical or behavioral issues. We reserve our space for those who need a place for life. Adoption to a good home is a wonderful thing and there are so many organizations who specialize in adoptions. But very few have the space to provide homes for the thousands of animals that are adoption challenged.

So we don’t see many kittens at Rikki’s Refuge. The ones that do come to us often have feline leukemia, which will likely shorten their natural lives. Though with the right care, many can live long healthy lives, especially if they caught it later in life. Kittens born with feline leukemia, because their mother was infected, often don’t live long, sometimes only months. But is it better to spend maybe 6 or 18 months happy, loved, playing with friends …. or to just be murdered because it’s likely your natural life wouldn’t have been long? There is no suffering, no pain, just a poor immune system and often sudden organ failure. No one lives forever. We never know how long any one of us will live. But is it better to live a short life happy than to be murdered early?

At Rikki’s Refuge we sure think being given the chance of life is the best option. That’s why we’re here. To allow everyone, no matter their species, to live a full natural life in peace and happiness, loved and surrounded by friends. What more could anyone want?

In addition to cats/kittens with feline leukemia, we have with FIV, feral cats who for what ever reason could not be part of a TNR colony, elderly cats, cats with diabetes, kidney disease, other medical issues, cats who are handicapped, blind, deaf, and on and on. And they all are loved and cared for at Rikki’s Refuge. All 587 of them !!! And YES, we are at capacity! We can only accept new residents when one passes on. Unlike most shelters, we don’t kill to make room for more.

And caring for them for life can be quite expensive. Won’t you help out with a gift of some cat food, or the cost of a vet visit? Thank you for supporting the adoption challenged cats at Rikki’s Refuge www.RikkisRefuge.org/Donate or see other options for donating below.

The kittens featured today were known as the Three Musketeers. They were brothers. One was blind. He was going to be killed for his handicap. His two brothers were always by his side. One on each side. Protecting him, heading him around while they played, helping him to the litterbox and food dish. Rikki’s was asked if they could take the blind kitten, and then they told us how they didn’t know if he’d do well without his brothers. We said they all have to come, you cannot separate that family. That poor little blind kitten needed his brothers. And so all three joined us at Rikki’s Refuge.

We advertised them for adoption, as a group only. Someone called and really wanted the blind kitten. She’d had a blind cat before and he’s recently passed on, and he was orange too. She came out to meet them, and loved them all, but was hesitant to adopt the whole package. But she began to volunteer and every day she played with the Three Musketeers and before long her heart grew big enough to adopt all three !!!

Everybody has a happy ending at Rikki’s Refuge!

Please make your tax deductible contribution by going to our website
https://RikkisRefuge.org/donate
or by mailing a check
Rikki’s Refuge, PO Box 1357, Orange VA 22960
or the site of your choice
Paypal https://paypal.me/RikkisRefuge
Paypal mail@RikkisRefuge.org
Square https://RR-square.shorturl.com
Venmo Rikki’s Refuge
Zelle mail@RikkisRefuge.org

THANK YOU FOR HELPING US!!!

#RikkisRefuge
#RikkisRefugeAnimalSanctuary

December 7, 2023 – Rikki’s Seventh Day of Christmas

On the Seventh Day of Christmas, look what came to Rikki’s,

seven guinea fowl freeloading,

Guinea Fowl are amazing birds. They are the peace keepers at Rikki’s Refuge. If a cat thinks about chasing a songbird, the guinea scream and circle the cat and chase it away. If a dog gets mad at another dog and fight starts, the guineas run screaming and jump on the dogs to break it up. When a rooster gets aggressive, the guineas are there to protect the hens. Boats butting heads? The guineas are right there breaking it up !!!

They are fabulous guard dogs too. Nobody but nobody will ever sneak up on you with guineas around. They can out scream anybody with their gooo-baaaack-goooo-baaaack-gooo-baaaack screeching. They are also wonderful for tick control, yummy ticks are their favorite snack. And we all appreciate.

With the tick supply down for the winter, the guineas need chicken crumbles, bird seed and corn for a good healthy diet. It’s $12.99 for sack big enough to feed all the guineas for a week. Will YOU help them eat?


six lizards a lazing,
five guinea pigs a gnawing,
four elderly equines,
three burly bossy bovines,
two rabbits a mating,
and a chukar in a cherry tree.

Please make your tax deductible contribution by going to our website
https://RikkisRefuge.org/donate
or by mailing a check
Rikki’s Refuge, PO Box 1357, Orange VA 22960
or the site of your choice
Paypal https://paypal.me/RikkisRefuge
Paypal mail@RikkisRefuge.org
Square https://RR-square.shorturl.com
Venmo Rikki’s Refuge
Zelle mail@RikkisRefuge.org

THANK YOU FOR HELPING US!!!

#RikkisRefuge
#RikkisRefugeAnimalSanctuary

December 4, 2023 – Rikki’s Fourth Day of Christmas

On the Fourth Day of Christmas, look what came to Rikki’s,

four elderly equines,
three burly bossy bovines,
two rabbits a mating,
and a chukar in a cherry tree.


Today we have 13 elderly horses,

1 elderly mini horse and

2 donkeys !

And it costs a LOT to feed them all winter long. Well, really, every day all year round !! They elderly ones need special senior equine food and it’s gone up to $23.50 a bag. The donkeys are special needs and need food that costs a little more.

Would you consider donating a bag of feed for one of our equines this holiday season?

Please make your tax deductible contribution by going to our website
https://RikkisRefuge.org/donate
or by mailing a check
Rikki’s Refuge, PO Box 1357, Orange VA 22960
or the site of your choice
Paypal https://paypal.me/RikkisRefuge
Paypal mail@RikkisRefuge.org
Square https://RR-square.shorturl.com
Venmo Rikki’s Refuge
Zelle mail@RikkisRefuge.org

THANK YOU FOR HELPING US!!!

#RikkisRefuge
#RikkisRefugeAnimalSanctuary