A DAY AT THE REFUGE

Last Sunday I spent a couple hours out at Rikki's Refuge. I've been hanging out there since 2003, snapping shots and playing with the animals. For me, it's a great day out in the country; peaceful, quiet, with all sorts of animals hanging out and vying for attention. It's enough to relieve any stress.

Now, it's been a couple of years since I've been out to Rikki's, so I had a chance to see some of my old buddies and meet some new ones.

Tomi has always been one of my favorites out at Rikki's (and yes, I do have favorites) and since I've been going out to Rikki's, I've never been able to get a decent shot of Tomi. The day I went out, she had play yard privileges and therefore, she wasn't jumping on me for attention (she was actually more interested in peeing on everything in the yard).

 

I've always enjoyed going into the cat runs. There's usually a mix of ultra friendly cats with shy ones. I didn't hit the feral runs this day, stuck with the friendlies, and while shooting in one run, the cats next door were just waiting my arrival. But I know these cats. The minute you open the door, they want to escape into the big, wide world. And these guys were waiting, clustered by the door, meowing for their chance.

I met Miles. I'm not sure that I've ever met Miles. He was fun to hang out with. Well, actually, he followed me around. Then when it was time to take his picture, he'd be right on top of the camera. Unfortunately, with animals, you can't tell them to step back, and when I tried to step back, well, Miles continued to step forward.

Petunia. She's the only non pot bellied pig at Rikki's. I remember when Petunia was a wee babe and she squealed so loud you could probably hear her for miles when someone picked her up. I saw her out in the distance of Piggy Paradise, called her name and she came running. She's a very friendly pig.

This guy here is a newbie. His name is Prince. He's spoiled and was sort of kicked out of the litter, so he was basically raised by human hands. I was talking to Lena (the Refuge's manager) and we were commenting on how cute he was. I said I think it's because he has different markings, you know, that brown streak over his snout. Well, turns out that brown streak is actually white, but Prince likes to root in the mud so much, the white just disappears.

The rabbits have always been a favorite, and challenge to photograph. They run as soon as you get into position to take the shot. I've learned over time to keep the zoom on the camera and how much distance I need between myself and them to get the shot.

Rikki's will be hosting Bunny Bonanza on Saturday, April 16th from 1-5 pm. It's a family day at the Refuge with fun and games, an Easter Egg hunt, a magic show, face painting and more. It's a great way to spend the day with your kids and teach them about saving animals.

Lena warned me about the ram before I did my rounds. I went over to Horsey Haven to see what Greta Garbo and Candy were up to when suddenly this guy shows up out of nowhere. I wanted to get a decent shot without being plowed to the ground, so I climbed the fence and shot. He was a curious little being.

And this is Snoop. He's new to Rikki's since my last outing, and he's a load of fun. I asked Lena if he got his name because he was into everything, checking out anything he could find. Lena told me he came with that, but I have to wonder. He's a playful, sweet, loving pup who gives a lot of love. You can't help but want to get on the ground and be part of his world.


So if you get a chance, head on out to Rikki's Refuge. They have monthly tours and Sunday mini tours where you can interact with the animals and learn about how Rikki's came to be. Call or check out the calendar before heading out to make sure there have been no changes in the schedule. The animals take priority at Rikki's and sometimes events need to be canceled to care for the critters.

And if you live too far away for a tour but love the animals anyway, consider sending a donation to help support the 1,200+ animals that call Rikki's home.