Lurch getting new barn
 

Bulletin Photo by Kevin Pieper

Lurch, the world famous Watusi bull with Guinness World Record horns and the herd at Rocky Ridge Refuge soon will have a new home thanks to Richard Thompson, Zootoo.com and The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

Pole Barn Specialist Inc., a local company, was hired to build a barn and a place to store hay and food for the animals starting Wednesday. Scott Callies said they plan to finish the project in a week.

Rocky Ridge Refuge owner Janice Wolf is ecstatic and giddy. "It is bigger than I thought," Wolf said Wednesday after Thompson came to visit her and discuss the plans.

Wolf, Lurch and members of the herd appeared on an episode of "Ellen" a couple of weeks ago, and Thompson came on the show and said Zootoo would build a barn for her.

"It keeps getting bigger," Wolf said. "I didn't know they were going to have all kinds of people here and do it like a big blitz. I am just excited to see what they do. I never had a barn. "It is all great. Whatever it is, it's more than I had, and it will help the animals so much. It is an incredible experience. "The whole thing is incredible."

"I have been working and struggling here a long time with what little bits I can do and put together," Wolf said. "We have made it. Now for those critters it is fixing to get a whole lot better. And that is good, because that is what I live for." It all means she can help more animals, Wolf added.  Wolf has more than 50 creatures at the refuge.

Zootoo.com is a new Web site started about six weeks ago, Thompson said.  "We own Meow Mix, the cat food company," he said. "The guys who work with me at Meow Mix and some of the other folks, we decided we wanted to give back to the community and how can we do that? We thought that starting Zootoo.com would be one way. "Zoo" means all animals and "too" means you too can be helpful."

Thompson said they were very fortunate to be able to team up with DeGeneres on this project with Wolf and Rocky Ridge Refuge. "The idea is to find needy people like Janice around the country, and obviously Ellen is the celebrity out in L.A. that can get a lot of attention and Zootoo is the group that can make it happen out on the field. So it is a great relationship."  Thompson said helping Rocky Ridge Refuge was Zootoo's first project although there will be others.

"They are going to work seven days straight, kind of like the extreme makeover for pet shelters, refuges and rescue groups," Thompson said. "We will be back next Wednesday with a camera crew here and, hopefully, we will receive a lot of support from the local community.  "Because once we build the barn, we would like the local community to fill up the barn with not only love but things like hay and food and tools."

He said he hopes the national spotlight will raise the public profile of Wolf and the ranch so that local people come out and volunteer for an hour or two. "They can bring their family and help her, whether it is to clean up the property or help feed the animals or fix the fence or things of that nature," he said.

Wolf has really put her heart and soul into doing this and people who help animals are helping God's creatures and should get some help, he said.  Thompson suggested people could help other organizations in the area who help animals.  "It is not just about Janice, it is just that Janice is kind of the representative of people in this area," Thompson said. "But everybody should look in their back yard, around the corner, and see who they can help in the animal world. I think that is what Zootoo.com and Ellen DeGeneres are all about in this case."

Thompson promised some additional surprises for Wolf and the refuge.  "We plan on being back here in late February or March to check up on them because we are going to do a Zootoo crusade with an RV all the way from New York to L.A. in February and March and will stop by and check on Janice on the way to L.A.," Thompson said.

Thompson said Zootoo.com will be doing similar things as they are doing at Rocky Ridge Refuge for rescue groups.  Zootoo.com will do a $1 million makeover once a year for an animal shelter. The winner will be picked March 31.  In order to be included, animal shelters can visit the Web site and register.