Meet our Director 

We are proud to introduce our Executive Director of The American Eskimo Rescue and Sanctuary of Iowa and the driving force of our rescue, Perry Mancini.

Perry was born in Barrington ,Illinois ,on March 26, 1960. His family raised St. Bernards, and even at a very young age Perry became known for taking in stray cats. He found hiding places for them, sneaking them food until his parents would catch him. He has always had a love for animals, and he has worked with dogs in need throughout his life.
Only a couple of years after his mother's death in 1972, when he was only 14 years old, he found himself homeless, without a place to go ...in the same situation as many of the animals he has cared for. Perry spent most of his teenage years working part-time jobs to provide for his own needs, going to school and living most of the time in communal settings. He jokes to this day that he was raised by a "pack of wild hippies." 

Perry is very serious about acknowledging the present need for all beings to "lift each other up from whatever ashes they may be in."

About 20 years ago, Perry met his first American Eskimo dog when a stray Eskie ran up to him while he was sitting outside. Although he found the dog's owners and returned him, Perry fell in love with the breed in that brief time. A short time later, when a 2-year-old male Eskie was being dropped at the pound be­cause he was considered un-trainable (and because he got hair on his owners' clothes), Perry came to the rescue. This is how Perry met Codie Coyote.

Perry met Stacie in 1990. They married in 1994 and moved to Iowa shortly afterward. About this time, Stacie's cat went to the Rainbow Bridge . Perry heard that Animal Control was shutting down a local pet store and he took Stacie to see what was there. That is where they met and fell in love with Mirage and they were able to slip her out of the store before the authorities seized all the animals. The conditions at the pet store were atrocious, and Mirage had lived the first 6 months of her life in a wire cage with a wire bottom. Because of this, she has a severe hip deformity and will eventually need to have both hips re­placed, Perry is treating Mirage with mostly natural remedies, and so far we have been able to put off her hip replacement indefinitely.

Stacie and Perry lived in Urbandale when they first moved to Iowa. During this time, Perry was able to help one or two Eskies at a time, but this was a regular suburban community that only allowed 3 dogs per household. So, in 2000, Perry decided to leave management and dedicate his life to helping animals and providing a sanctuary for them. He and Stacie bought a 4 acre site that they call the Eskie Spa and Resort. Just about the same time Perry found out about Heart Bandits. Eventually the American Eskimo Rescue and Sanctuary of Iowa became a foster home for Heart Bandits, as well as its own nationally recognized non-profit animal welfare organization.

Perry sees all beings as equals. He has an especially great love for this breed, and he treats the dogs like his children. To him, they ARE his children! Perry has a special knack for special needs dogs, seniors and the medically challenged.
Most importantly, he has helped and saved the lives of thousands of animals in his life time, He is dedicated to the task of saving many more.

We thank Perry for his hard work and for his dedication to the animal welfare community.

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