You take a look at us, and maybe your first reaction is to cross to the other side of the street. Just remember to look both ways before you do.
We're not a gang, vigilantes or a social organization, but we do have that certain "in your face" style when it comes to animal abusers.
You may find us hanging out together at a hot rod show, tattoo parlors, or even hitting up the blacktop together on our bikes for a little road trip, but the main thing that brings us together is our love of animals. We met because we were all doing the same thing on our spare time: rescuing and finding homes for abandoned and abused animals. None of us did it for money; we did it because we cannot stand by while anyone mistreats an animal!
We formed Rescue Ink™ because the problem of animal abuse and neglect has grown beyond the resources of the existing animal welfare agencies. We love the work done by some of the local shelters, but they cannot possibly keep pace with the volume of problems that need to be addressed.
That's where Rescue Ink™ comes in. We will stop at nothing within the bounds of the law to protect animals at risk. We will intercede without hesitation when we are informed of a situation that needs to be addressed, and we will address it. If we need to convince people to do the right thing ... we can be very convincing, we'll even buy animals if that's what it takes to get them away from abusers.
Rescue Ink™ is all about zero tolerance when it comes to animal abuse and neglect. Our ranks are growing every day, as Americans from coast to coast are reaching out to join in our efforts. If you know something we should know, give us a call... NOW!
Mike Tattoo
Scary looking, but with a heart of gold, he's known on the streets as Mike Tattoo.
A former bodybuilding champion, and strict vegetarian, Mike is a born caregiver who always makes time to see to the needs of both animals and people. Mike has been rescuing strays since he was a kid, finding them good homes or taking them in himself - at present he has a dog, 2 cats, and fish.
From taking care of the needs of his family members and entertaining the residents of nursing homes playing guitar in his band, to spearheading the efforts of Rescue Ink™ , Mike is living proof that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover.
A gentle giant, John is a fitness personality, personal security expert, martial artist, and musician. A former personal bodyguard who has protected high profile public officials and celebrities, John is the developer of the FtiEquilibria concept, a discipline encompassing diet, exercise and lifestyle.
John grew up in a household full of animals, and feels that his love and caring for them has made him a better person. If you ask his best friend, a rescued pit bull named Lucy (a big mush - who almost wound up as bait in a dog fighting ring) or his bearded dragon lizards, they'll tell you it's true.
Batso
You want to know anything about cars, especially custom cars, Batso's the guy. He's retired from the auto biz now, but still loves to work with cars.
At 74 years old he's still an imposing figure, sporting body art from some of the most highly regarded tattoo artists in the world. Batso is a dedicated martial artist and weight lifter, who holds a Connecticut state record in power lifting.
Growing up, Batso cared for sheep, goats, as well as poultry, and began developing a lifelong love and respect for animals. Animal abuse is something that Batso cannot, and will not tolerate. Among his close friends Batso counts Inky, a rescued pit bull that had been abandoned, and his iguana George.
At 6' 1", weighing in at 320 lbs., it's easy to figure out why they call Anthony "Big Ant". From farms in Italy, to the streets of Brooklyn and Queens, Big Ant learned early on that respect is a way of life.
A guy who looks like he could snap you in two, Big Ant is a caring and helpful person. He's a family man, with a wife and son who share his love of animals: right now a dog, a cat, and a turtle, two rabbits, and a well-populated fish tank live under his roof - all of which they have rescued. Big Ant feels that having a house full of wonderful creatures not only provides a stress free environment, but also helps to teach his young son to grow with respect for people and for animals.
Big Ant is an old school guy who loves Harleys and hotrods. He's a guy who can be warm and funny, or (if the situation merits) can be a scary and menacing presence. Big Ant believes that animal abusers are weak, and he will not tolerate them.
George
"G" has led the life of a first responder since he was a kid growing up in rural Connecticut, when he would use Popsicle sticks to set the wings of injured birds.
Professionally an industrial firefighter and the owner of a landscaping business, G has always loved, cared for and rescued animals.
G loves the outdoors, and especially loves spending time on his (very fast) bike.
As a parent, G has passed his love for animals on to his son, with whom he has spent much time visiting the local ASPCA shelter and dairy farms. This experience has had a great influence, and his son now aspires to a career as a a veterinarian.
G's family includes Boss (an English Bulldog) and Kayne (a German Rottweiler).
George will clearly tell you that only weak people abuse animals.
Sal's a tough and sweet guy, a kid from Brooklyn who volunteered his time as a teenager rescuing cats with the Humane Society, and played a mean game of football (high school, college, and semi-pro ball).
Sal has a special fondness for pit bulls, and throughout his adult life has been involved in the rescue and adoption of pit bulls that have been used for fighting. From Black Jack (his first rescued pit bull) to his most recent, Butch, Sal has given and found loving homes to scores of formerly abused dogs.
No stranger to danger, Sal works in the high-rise construction industry as a cement worker.
Sal`s motto is "Only a fool would think dog fighting is cool !"
Biagi
Biagi's a guy who loves to work on bikes and cars, and can fix or improve anything that runs with an engine. A retired boiler mechanic, Biagi brings a wealth of rescue knowledge and experience to Rescue Ink™ .
When it comes to animal rescue, Biagi's done it all, and he has spent over 30 years saving dogs with the help of many great rescue groups in NY, NJ, PA, and CT. Biagi is the kind of guy who'd rather talk about the people who have helped him, than about the things that he's done. He's the real deal.
Although he's dedicated to the welfare of all dogs Biagi's a Rottweiler guy, and his favorite is his 11 year old Rotti, Duke.
Retired as a detective investigator from the N.Y.P.D., Angel grew up in the rough and tumble Harlem projects, where he earned his first degrees in street smarts and self-defense.
Angel learned to care for and respect animals as a kid spending summers with his family in the Puerto Rican countryside. It was quite a change from the city streets, and it instilled in him a lifelong love for animals. Angel received his bachelor's degree in Police Science from John Jay College, and spent his career as one of New York's Finest, giving back to the city he loves and protecting those who live there.
Angel's a family man, married with three grown daughters. He's into karate, weight lifting, shooting pool, salsa and meringue (la musica caliente!), loves raising freshwater tropical fish and hanging out with his best pal Cris - a 6-year old Bichon Frise.
Des "the Cat Man"
Born in Columbia, South America, Des came to New York at age nine and grew up in the mean streets of Jamaica, Queens. At age ten Des became interested in playing Judo as a hobby, which eventually lead him to the Alan Lee Wu-Su temple where he devoted much of his time to the study of Kung Fu. In his neighborhood, if you weren't tough you were a victim, and Des was nobody's victim.
At age 18 Des bought his first motorcycle, which gave him the mobility and freedom to travel beyond his neighborhood, allowed him to expand the scope of his world, and started his lifelong love of bikes.
If you want to know anything about cats, anything at all, Des is the go-to guy. Rescue Ink™ 's resident feline expert, Des has dedicated years to the wellbeing of homeless cats in Manhattan, running TNR (Trap, Neuter, and Return), shelter, and feeding programs.
What do you call a guy who's earned the title of Grand Master in Close Quarter Combat Hapkido, trained with the Special Forces, and is a member of Action Magazine's Martial Arts Hall of Fame. We call him Ron.
Ron's also a student of mysticism and Eastern disciplines, but if you ask this Renaissance man he'll tell you that his greatest accomplishments have been in caring for and saving animals with independent rescue groups. He's also quite proud of the years he worked at numerous ranches, where he personally cared for everything from wounded ducks and dogs to mules, horses and goats.
Ron boasts he once drove more than sixty miles to save a wounded duck, and it wasn't even a distant relative of Donald or Daffy.
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