Meet the Founder

If you catch Dennis Janik on any given afternoon, he may tell you that he hasn’t had an original idea in 50 years. This is because his passion for saving wildlife began when he was just 7 years old, when Dennis saved a toad from being hit by other children. 

At 13, he took a family trip through Eastern Canada and was devastated by the deforestation he witnessed. It was in this moment he decided to dedicate his adult life to conservation. 

After running a series of successful dry cleaning businesses in his 20s, Dennis moved to Costa Rica and purchased the roadside zoo that he would transform into the animal sanctuary we now know as Rescate Wildlife Rescue Center.

His passion for wildlife and conservation has had a ripple effect across all of Costa Rica. Rescate, then known as Zoo Ave, began breeding scarlet macaws and repopulating them in Costa Rica in 1991. Today, over 600 scarlet macaws have been released in total. If you see one soaring in the Golfito area, it’s likely either a bird released by the breeding program or the offspring of one.

As for his personal life, Dennis is the proud father of two daughters, Ashley and Madelyne. When he was a child, teachers informed his parents that he would be unable to learn a second language or achieve an advanced degree. Because of these experiences, Dennis strongly believes in innovation, hard work, and not letting others dictate what you can and cannot do in your life. He’s also incredibly proud of the Rescate team and all they have been able to accomplish over decades of hard work and their collective expertise.

Dennis serves as the Executive Director and Founder of Rescate Wildlife Rescue Center.