In early 2009, the Internet was abuzz with the story of a group of bikers on the East Coast who are as devoted to their motorcycles and tattoos as they are to animal rights causes and rescue efforts. These are the men of Rescue Ink. They look as rough and tough as you'd think from biker stereotypes, but they have very big and soft hearts when it comes to animals who need some human helping-hands.

They provide animal education programs, raise funds for various groups and even do the occasional rescue intervention. Now they can add a cable television show to their collective resumes. Debuting in September 2009 on the National Geographic channel is RESCUE INK UNLEASHED.

With what seems a never-ending curiosity for all things tattooed, and the success of numerous shows set inside actual working tattoo parlors, this program aims to show the activist group in action as they do their various animal rights works and happenings. No doubt, the animal interventions are going to take a spot center stage. Rescue Ink has gotten some of their biggest press from helping in situations with "animal hoarders," where people accumulate dozens or hundreds of pets which then wind up in horrific living conditions and are subjected to life-threatening levels of neglect.

If you check out the schedule on the show's web site, you'll see titles for future episodes such as "It's a Cruel, Cruel World," "Rebel With A Cause," and "Bad Reputation." Clearly the show is aiming to show how mainstream perceptions of motorcycle gangs, bikers with a mission and the love of animals can combine to produce a much different end result than what most people might expect. And with the setting being New York City, there's no doubt that the bikers will come up against situations both heart-rending and heart-warming as they work with cats, dogs, chickens and more.

You can catch the first episode on the National Geographic channel on Friday September 25th at 10pm Eastern, with new episodes running regularly after that. (check your local listings to be sure of broadcast times in your area and for information about repeat airings.)