SAD NEWS ABOUT A BELOVED RIKKI’S ALUMNI: Walker, a long time Rikki’s supporter and Alumni Spokesdog, went on to the Rainbow Bridge on 3 December 2014. Walker, perhaps the calmest Treeing Walker Coonhound/English Pointer mix in the world, had a battle with lymphoma that he could not win. He has left a legacy of courage and kindness to all who knew him. For many years, Walker was a fixture at Rikki’s Refuge and could be found at Doggy Downs nearly every Saturday – to help with a tour, to cheer up the resident dogs, or just for a quick cuddlefest. 
Walker didn’t always have a happy life. Apparently he was not very good at hunting, as any loud noise would startle the sweet boy. He was left in the woods after the 2004 2005 hunting season, where he was shot in the back with a shotgun in an extra dose of cruelty. Brought to the Shelter by his perpetrator, the wonderful folks at the Orange County Animal Shelter were able to save his life and patch him up. Once he was ready, Rikki’s Refuge took him in to give him save haven to heal his physical and mental wounds. In time, Walker was adopted by a Rikki’s volunteer, and the transformation from scared coonhound to polished Spokesdog was fast. He began to attend many events in the central and northern Virginia area, and with his scarred back and sad eyes, he was able to charm many who stopped at the Rikki’s table. He served as a tangible example of animal cruelty and demonstrated how wonderful and forgiving companion animals are even after horrific treatment. Many people have been moved by Walker’s story, and even years later remembered the sweet coonhound at events such as the Reston Pet Fiesta and the Richmond Vegetarian Festival. 
Walker crossed the country several times with his adoptive Mom, but always remembered where he came from and visited the Refuge as often as he could. He battled cancer twice, with a bout of Mast Cell in 2012 and then Lymphoma in the fall of 2014. Walker remained affectionate and loving through all of his trials and tribulations, and never turned down a pat on the head or a dog treat by one of his admirers. He was always the talk of the neighborhood when he hung out with his Reston dog buddies, the sweetest, kindest dog of the pack. He was strong and never showed his pain, even while losing his fight with cancer. He protected his owner to the end – whether it was warning her of tornado sirens or of loose dogs in his Colorado neighborhood. Walker is a shining example of how animals positively influence and interact with humans, and was even featured in a story about how he helped a Veteran heal after his tour in Iraq. Walker’s star is shining brightly in the night sky now, especially over the Refuge he loved and cherished his whole life. 
