Squirrel take her job of superivsing donation drop-offs very seriously
DONATION DROP-OFF every SATURDAY at the Life Center from NOON to 2pm. (21410 Constitution Hwy, Rapidan, VA) – look for the brightly painted rainbow fence!!
WE have a constant need for the following:
This is Betty – if you have been out to Rikki’s for a visit, you for sure have met this lovely lady. She likes to supervise her area of the tour! Betty came to us from New York City. She was roaming the streets and a call went out for Animal Control to pick up this poor lost kitty. Well Betty was not impressed. She snarled and tried to elude the officer. She was finally caught on the end of a rabies pole. That’s a long handle with a nose on the end that you can get around an animals neck, keep them secure and keep them at a distance so they can’t bite you. It’s used as a last resort when catching an animal, or when one fears the animal will bite. Well …. Betty, once again, wasn’t impressed. When the officer got her into a cage and was attempting to remove the noose … Betty bit. That’s called a provoked bite in the animal biz. I mean, really, come on, if the aliens dropped in, chased you down, noosed you, tried to put you in a cage ….. would you fight for your life? Would you bite? At any rate, the rules are the rules and any animal that bites may not be adopted back out into the city. It may be taken by a rescue organization that is out of state. But it will not be allowed to live in the state.
She will only come in the 9th Life Center a couple nights a year when it’s really cold … like below zero. Other than that, she says “thank you but no thank you, I’ve got a purrfectly fine and beautiful thick coat and I’m happy right here !!”
Reeses and Buttercup greeting a visitor before they even get out of the car!
Inseparable sisters …. Reeses and Buttercup…..when their owner moved and couldn’t keep them their options were slim … most folks responding to the ad on Craigslist wanted some goat for dinner. They are happy, happy free range goats at Rikki’s Refuge now! They love it when folks bring treats and are curious about all the happenings on the refuge!!
Wiggly goat butts
Mouky
Mouky 2015
Mouky 2015
Physical Therapy 2015
Mouky climbing!
Mouky 2018
Mouky sharing breakfast goodies with his caretakers.
EVERY MEAL!!!
Time for nums!!
Did you know that EVERY meal, for EVERY animal, EVERY SINGLE DAY here at Rikki’s Refuge, is provided by donations from YOU, our caring, generous, and AMAZING supporters!
THANK YOU!
www.RikkisRefuge.org/feedme
Paypal: mail@RikkisRefuge.org
Mail a check or money order: PO Box 1357, Orange VA. 22960
Scarface
The compound was not an animal friendly one, so even though he was safe from other cats beating him up, his life was threatened with human abuses including food poisoning. {shudder} For his own safety, he was moved to the Paws Rescue Qatar retreat living in the friendlies’ communal room with other friendly cats and the retreat’s resident rabbit. Despite his former life as a street cat, Scarface is now incredibly sociable and is always the first one to run up to people for cuddles. Scarface tolerates other cats and is never aggressive with them. He lives happily with them but keeps his distance. He isn’t one to curl up with them but is happy to be around them. He will tell them when they are too close and the worst he does is the odd tap to the head. LOL – scary right? Here at Rikki’s Refuge, Scarface is a favorite of the staff and is just a really pleasant dude!
This is the road that leads to Rikki’s Refuge…
Symbols. Our culture abounds with symbols. Some stir feelings of patriotism and love of country, like our American flag. Some bring to mind feelings of home, warmth and love, like mom’s apple pie. Some make us chuckle, some make us cry. Some last for decades, some disappear after a period of time.
And some are forever.
Rainbows, from their earliest sightings, have always been messengers of a promise of new life, renewal, another chance, safety, love and good luck. Some call it God’s promise, some call it merely refracted light that appears after a rain. At Rikki’s Refuge, we call it a promise of a new life and a lot of love.
If you have driven on Route 20 in recent months, you probably have seen the tired old weather-beaten, formerly white fence on the corner of 20 and Quarter Horse Lane change to all the colors of the rainbow. People have asked us, “Why the rainbow?”
Many of the 1,300 animals who call the refuge home have come to us from a variety of sad circumstances. Some were surrendered to shelters because they were now too old to play, because they had developed a chronic condition that required medical care and treatment and the owners didn’t want to be bothered. Some were born with missing paws, limbs, blind or deaf and considered unadoptable. Some have come out of abusive situations. Some were surrendered because of financial difficulties or because a spouse or partner demanded the animal be given up. Rikki’s Refuge is a no-kill animal sanctuary where these animals will live out their lives, surrounded by love and care. For them, it is their “pot of gold” at the end of the rainbow.
One of our volunteers was driving past Rikki’s one late afternoon and thought how sad the fence looked. It really needed some TLC, not to mention a good coat of paint! She suddenly saw it painted all the colors of the rainbow. Nora Eldridge said, “Rainbows belong to everybody. No one can claim exclusive rights and the concept just fits with what we do at Rikki’s. I talked with Kerry Hilliard, the executive director of Rikki’s Refuge, Paul Erhard and Cynthia Wright, two of our other volunteers, that evening. They were all immediately on board with the idea and we just ran with it.”
The painting crew on any given Saturday!
The project got underway on Saturday, March 17th. The entire fence has to be wire-brushed to remove the old, loose paint and brushed to take off the dirt. Nora said, “We started at the far corner of route 20 that day and got rained on. That forced us to stop, but we picked it up the following week. That section was brushed, repaired where needed and painted in pretty short order. We painted to the front gate, then moved across the driveway to the triangle section and are now tackling the main part – down the driveway. It’s a big job and if anyone is interested in helping, come on out! We’re there every Saturday, weather permitting.”
The gates have been spray painted rainbow colors to follow the theme. Ron Herfurth, another volunteer who also does a great deal of work at the refuge, took on that task of beautifying the gates. There are big plans for a triangle of land across from the gate, too. Nora explained, “We have about 7,200 square feet to work with. Four of us are collaborating on this and we’ll finalize what’s going to be planted there very soon. It’s going to be beautiful!”
Volunteer Ron painting the gates too!!
“The fence is being painted mainly by Rikki’s volunteers. Paul and Cynthia decided to move to Orange after they had retired because of the small-town friendly ambiance and the slower, quieter pace than northern Virginia has. It also helps that Rikki’s is in close proximity, so it’s much easier to pitch in with the projects there,” Nora said. “I still have my massage therapy practice in Spotsylvania, which I’ll be closing next year. Then I plan to move to Orange, too. I’m looking forward to living in this friendly town. The three of us have been working hard on this fence and it’s very satisfying to watch the progress.”
She went on to explain, “The fence will be painted to the end of the pasture, by the house. We’re having a wishing well on the lawn.” And, yes, there will be that pot of gold hanging in it. “Kids like to toss coins into fountains and buckets and so do a lot of adults. People who visit for tours and events are welcome to make their wishes and toss in whatever they please. It all goes to care for the animals.”
When the animals come to their new home, they’ll drive through the forget-me-not purple gate, past the blooming flowers and trees, down the driveway and along the rainbow. They’ll end at the sanctuary, where they’ll be evaluated, tested for any diseases and taken care of until they can join their population in their particular neighborhood. They’ll live out their lives in peace, security and love.
We call that finding your pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
If you would like to help with the fence, come on out on any Saturday. This is weather-permitting, so if you want to know if we are working that day, please call either Nora (540-729-2797) or Paul (703-973-5487).
Have you met Baby Julian?
Julian – one of the cutest lambs ever!!
This adorable young boy was born in February of this year. He is a Katahdin sheep and he was part of an agricultural / pre-veterinary program and when the semester ended, because he was a male, he would have been culled / headed to slaughter.
Baby Milo at a few weeks old with his savior, Gracie.
The young lady who helped bring him into this world raised the money to purchase young Milo from the program and then reached out to Rikki’s Refuge to see if we could take him. Isn’t that amazing of this young lady? And of course we said yes!
Next time you are at Rikki’s Refuge, be sure to stop by and say hello to this cutie. He loves visitors and treats. His personality will absolutely make you smile!!
Tours@RikkisRefuge.org
