Today we’d like to introduce you to Vanessa Petrosky
Hi Vanessa, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Got started back when I volunteered at the City of Cleveland Kennel and watched a group trying to trap ‘feral’ dogs that had been inbreed and living on an abandon property. Then one day after that I saw a little scruffy dog sitting on the exit ramp by Tiedeman and I-480- he was flirting with dangerous highway- that was my first rescue mission and then I evolved from there; nearly 9 years later I now run my own 501c3 registered non-profit where our mission statement is ‘saving the lost & forgotten’. We are a 4-person small team of dedicated volunteers who go out all hours of the night! The work we do is admirable, and I am so proud of the selfless hours we put in. Dedication, persistence, empathy and compassion pretty much sums up our work. We were named Cleveland’s Scene Magazine ‘Best Charity/Non-Profit 2024!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Never a smooth road – people do not see the behind-the-scenes work – the tears, emotions and challenges we face. I think the hardest part for me is dealing with the public & the comments a few individuals will make when we’ve been working a dog for over a month with no success so far and they go to social media to call us a ‘failure’ and let another rescue take over. The public do not understand the dogs we basically work with are very skittish and some having come from Amish puppy mills, once these dogs escape, it is very challenging to get them recovered. Last year we were working on a great Dane over a month in Olmsted Falls, people started badmouthing us that we were taking so long and didn’t know what we were doing and making hurtful comments that our equipment was failing. That drives my passion, and they have no idea the commitment/dedication I have – it literally took about 3 weeks to get that Dane to enter our laser kennel by feeding at the mouth of the kennel and every night moving the bowl back inch by inch – this takes PATIENCE AND TIME- keeping the area quiet and off social media is another challenge! We finally secured the Great Dane, who ended up abandon and was heartworm positive. Remi’s spent over $5,000 to nurse this gentle giant back to good health! She is currently living in a wonderful home and thriving!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Remi’s Pet Recovery?
We specialize in securing lost dogs and retuning them to their owners; we also save abandoned dogs that have been discarded/left to fend for themselves by humanely trapping them. We are an all-volunteer group led by Vanessa, a fierce, passionate dedicated leader. We are known for our successful recoveries and have made a huge impact in N.E. Ohio- we are a one-of-a kind non-profit and the only one in N.E. Ohio. What sets us apart is our commitment and uniqueness of what we do- I have slept in my car & under pine trees; we have been up all night at stakeouts and will go to almost any lengths to help these dogs who have found themselves lost and alone. We do not charge for our services; however, we do appreciate donations – especially for travel.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
We just see us getting bigger and need for our services continues to grow. My goal is to work part-time/full-time for Remi’s – the need is great, and it can be very challenging for me at times as I work full-time at a veterinary clinic and then run Remi’s as well.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.remispetrecovery.org
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Remispetrecovery.org
