The Rescue Gang Redefines Milwaukee Animal Rescue

There are smiles on everyone’s faces as Ryan Olson expertly holds two leashes in his left hand, a hound at the end of one and a rat terrier mix on the end of the other and aims the camera of a smart phone in his right. Opposite of Olson poses Nicole Pierce, with a Pitbull Terrier mix by her side. It’s a big day for all involved, as the Pitbull Terrier mix, named Felony, is being adopted by Pierce. The picture being taken is their adoption picture, which will be posted by Olson on the Rescue Gang Facebook page that afternoon.

The Rescue Gang is a non-profit organization that aims to rehabilitate, provide medical care, and to find forever homes for homeless, abandoned, and neglected animals in the Milwaukee area. Co-founded last December by Olson and Tia Bransted, the Rescue Gang has a unique brand of its own, naming itself a “gangster themed” animal rescue organization. “We have a Chihuahua named Al Capone right now,” Olson says.

Gangster-themed names used for some of the other dogs include Eazy E, Uzi, and Felony. The Rescue Gang was formed after Olson and Bransted left the Citizens United for Animals, another Milwaukee based non-profit organization centered on helping animals, and where Olson was Vice President and Bransted was President. While many business partners seal the deal with a contract, Olson and Bransted took a more creative route, sporting paw print tattoos under one of each of their eyes. “Our Rescue Gang signs,” Olson calls them.

In its current state, the Rescue Gang is foster based. Dogs are transported to Olson from a high kill shelter and are then spread out among the various volunteers who are willing to help. Olson himself fosters the dogs that the volunteers don’t have room for. With a dog and a cat of his own, it can get a little busy. Olson’s boyfriend Matt Knickelbine, with whom Olson shares an apartment, is supportive of what Olson is doing.

“It’s definitely an adventure. I try not to get attached to the fosters, but I fail miserably every time because they’re all so cute,” says Knickelbine. “Seeing a dog that has been without a stable home for years get adopted is truly moving. You could make a movie out of half these dogs’ stories.”

It’s clear that Olson is passionate about what he does, finding time for the Rescue Gang while also working two jobs and taking an online Veterinary Assistant program with Ashworth College.
Since The Rescue Gang is non-profit, the expenses come out of Olson’s and Bransted’s wallets.

However, donations help soften the blow. They ask for anyone who can to donate crates to hold the dogs, wet canned dog food, hollow bones, peanut-butter to put inside of the bones, leashes, and collars. When volunteers foster a dog, the Rescue Gang then provides them with everything they need, whether its donated or purchased out of their pocket. The volunteers just have to provide their homes. Anyone can fill out an application to volunteer on the Rescue Gang’s website.

While the Rescue Gang is relatively young, it’s popularity is growing. After only four months of existence, the Facebook page boasts just over a thousand “likes,” and the dogs that Olson brings in are getting adopted quickly. More and more volunteers are filling out applications, and more foster homes means more dogs can be saved from high kill shelters. The future is looking bright for the Rescue Gang, and Olson is excited and determined.

“I would like to have a physical location and be operating out of it full time. To do that we really need to build up our foster home base, so the dog food and the donations, that kind of ties in with the foster homes, and without foster homes, we can’t do any of it,” Olson says.

But the lack of a full time facility doesn’t cut down his confidence.

“We’re going to be the biggest rescue group in Milwaukee,” Olson says.