STRONGSVILLE, Ohio — There's an animal rescue out there for just about everything that walks, slithers, scurries or flies. In Strongsville, there's a father and son team who rescue things that swim.
Big Rich Price loves fish. We mean really, really, really loves fish. In the beginning, people gave him fish all the time. Eventually, he got overrun with fish.
So what's a father and son supposed to do? Big Rich and his son Josh decided to start Ohio Fish Rescue.
"And then we added on, and then we added on a second time. It's a hobby gone wild is what it was," Big Rich explains.
The 501C3 non-profit takes in fish that can't be cared for and even re-homes fish if they can be re-homed. Some are just too big, like Big Rich's favorite .
"Brutus! My 6 foot arapaima! Love him! The way he pops that water and people jump back, it's so scary. You know, I swim with him all the time," Big Rich tells us.
This indoor pool-turned-pond holds many giants, including Big Rich. Son Josh shares his dad's passion
"We started getting huge tanks," says Josh. "First one, then another, and now we have a whole facility going and we rescue fish pretty much all over the United States.
They not only have brushes with catfish and stingrays, but have met celebrities like Shaquille O'Neal. "I must say it was an experience I'll never forget," Josh recalls.
The Price family is on a mission to give fish better lives and educate people on caring for these beautiful creatures.
"The best advice I can give is please research the fish you like," advises Big Rich. "If you see a fish you like at a pet store, go on your phone and see how big it can get."
Ohio Fish Rescue has found a niche, caring for these denizens of the deep.
And that's no fish story.
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