FeedRescue Ink Unleashes Tattooed Tough Guys
Written by NetBear on December 30, 2009 – 3:24 pm -Eight tough guys, armed with 1700 pounds of muscle and over eighty tattoos, have one unlikely mission: to rescue helpless, abandoned and abused animals. WOOF! That’s Rescue Ink.
These guys are a rescue group unlike any you’ve every seen before. It’s about time we get to see a bunch of tattooed, motorcycle-riding biker types who are man enough to show their sensitive sides. Rescue Ink fights animal cruelty, educates abusers and helps resolve situations other rescue groups can’t – or won’t – handle themselves.
Joe Panz and Big Ant
Joe Panz grew up in a Queens neighborhood notorious for wise guys, where taking care of business is a way of life, and you are only as good as your word. He brings that premium on honor and loyalty – as well as some really high decibels – to every rescue. When Joe’s not bailing out pit bulls or catching feral cats, he’s working out at the gym, cruising on his Harley or hanging out with his tiger-striped pit mix, Bond.
Big Ant loves to ride his Harley as well as customizing anything that goes, and it usually goes fast. His motto is “Try to make it, or if you buy, it make it better,” like his 1950 cherry-red Buick or 1966 Nova drag car. Big Ant’s house is bursting at the seams with rescues, from rabbits to cats to Butchie, a pit-bull puppy saved from a used-car lot. And while he’s quick to kid around, watch the fuse: Big Ant can go from teddy bear to wrath of God faster than you can say “braciole.”
Johnny O and Eric
With his “Clark Kent” glasses and ski cap, Johnny O’s look is best described as “coffeehouse biker.” A former personal bodyguard, he loves the martial arts, reflected in his tattoos of symbolic Chinese animals, from a fiery dragon to a contemplative crane. Like all the guys, Johnny O is a pit-bull advocate – he owns two, look-alikes named Lucy and Chuck – and he educates about their undeservedly bad rap every chance he gets.
Eric’s a man of few words. But if he’s angry at an abuse case, one look at his piercing blue eyes will speak volumes about what he’s feeling. Eric is proof that you don’t need a big dog at your side to be a tough guy: Though he is a Rottweiler lover at heart (his oldest dog, Marley, is a Rottie mix), he also shares his home with three Miniature Pinschers and a Chihuahua mix.
G and Batso
“G” is short for George. But this Rescue Ink member knows there’s no shortcut to making a dog a calm, stable family member: It takes time, patience and training. G’s proud of his bulldog, Boss, who’s a poster boy for canine socialization. An industrial firefighter and owner of a landscaping business, G rides a Suziki Hayabusa. Yeah, the Harley riders in the bunch give him grief about riding a Japanese bike – but first they have to catch up with him
Batso’s body is the Sistine Chapel of tattoos, from the spiderwebs in his ears to the eyes on his palms. A record-breaking power lifter and martial artist, this 75-year-old attributes his youthful appearance to regular exercise and Chinese herbs. His devoted pit-bull mix Inka never leaves his side, whether he’s making a batch of his all-natural soap, or taking a spin in one of his themed custom cars, like the aptly named Bat’s Revenge.
Angel and Junior
Angel likes to say he used to protect people from animals – now he protects animals from people. A retired New York City Police detective stationed in upper Manhattan, Angel is Rescue Ink’s resident pet investigator. Whether he’s pulling up a rap sheet or scanning Internet postings for reports of dog-nappings, Angel is a bona-fide cybersleuth. And keeping him company with every keystroke is his deputy dog, a Bichon Frise named Cris.
Junior may not have the tattoos of his fellow Rescue Ink members, but he has just as much heart. The newest member of the group, Junior is a hard-working restaurateur whose for years has spent his spare time rescuing animals great and small. He loves to foster dogs, but isn’t very good at giving them up, which is how he got Lab-shepherd mixes Diesel and Scout, and Blue, the white boxer.
Watch this preview for the Rescue Ink series.
Learn more about the group at Rescue Ink.
The Rescue Ink series premieres Friday, September 25th, at 10PM ET/PT on the National Geographic Channel.
By Nick on Dec 31, 2009 8:47:34 AM | Reply
WOOF!!!!!! Where is my lube???!!!!!!!!!!
By Matthew on Jan 1, 2010 6:07:32 AM | Reply
Whoa ! I love tough & rough men gett’in sensitive with caring and compassion.
This is very important. It is the next step in male evolution. Honest. Thank You National Geographic.
By NetBear on Jan 2, 2010 8:52:27 PM | Reply
Yes, it’s nice to see that American men are finally allowing their sensitive sides to be exposed. And I’m not just talking about the dropping of their pants.