Reporter Cheree Franco works gravely back roads outside Mountain Home to find the new location of the Rocky Ridge Refuge — home to media darling Cheesecake, the capybara who mothers canines, and about 50 other formerly down-on-their-luck animals and Janice Wolf, the woman who shares her slice of the world with them.
Rocky Ridge first made international headlines with Lurch, the record-breaking Watusi steer. Watusis are known for their massive horns, which normally grow up to 18 inches in diameter and span more than 5 feet.
When Lurch made Guinness World Records in 2003, his horns were 38 inches in diameter and spanned nearly 8 feet. They were still growing when he died of horn cancer on May 22, 2010, just shy of 15 years old. Lurch was featured on The Ellen DeGeneres Show twice, which enabled Wolf to build a barn and get a washer and dryer.
He was also the subject of the documentary, Looking for Lurch, by Little Rock director Tim Jackson. It won the audience choice award at the Little Rock Film Festival in 2010.
See Wednesday’s Family section for the more on the next chapter in the Rocky Ridge Refuge story.