Rescue Ink: Men with Tattoos That Help Animals

They're Not Coming to Play Checkers
Port Jefferson Station, NY - It does not get better than this! Meet Rescue Ink, where members use a first name only for privacy reasons. As the writer of the article notes, "They're a reality show waiting to happen -- tattooed tough talkers with a soft spot for feral kitties and abandoned puppies."

Barely 6 months old and 12 members strong, Rescue Ink members met through their passion for classic cars, then found out they also shared an interest in rescuing animals. Their name -- Rescue Ink -- is derived from their penchant for tattoos, which you might argue go along nicely with the shaved heads and industrial-strength biceps.

With equal doses of irreverence and intensity, they tackle the problems that no one else wants -- business owners who poison feral cats, petty thieves who steal beloved pooches, fake rescuers who resell the animals relinquished to them. In the last month, Rescue Ink has gained publicity for its work in three "dognapping" cases that included a bulldog, two snatched corgis and a toothless Maltese.

All four dogs were recovered after Rescue Ink hit the pavement, spreading the word among local drug dealers, fencers and neighborhood wise guys that they weren't going away until the animals were returned.
One thing they have going for them is the shock factor.

"When we show up," says Mike Tattoo, "it's obvious we're not here to play checkers."

In just a few short weeks, Rescue Ink's grass-roots efforts have reached critical mass. The group receives 1,200 e-mails a day at their website, which crashed the other day because the server was overwhelmed. They log about a hundred phone calls a day at 631-RESCUEINK. The tattooed heroes have not gone unnoticed by animal advocacy groups either. PETA recently honored them with an award.