Click here for our latest newsletter!

Randi (7) with her first dog Lucky.

About Randi
After learning about Randi Berger’s roller coaster of a life, she hopes to inspire all beings to remove the words "impossible" or "obstacle" from the dictionary and replace them with the words "tenacity" and "resiliency" as she has in her dictionary!

By the time Randi was three, she was performing in a southern drawl to anyone willing to listen and the following year, she was already fighting for, what she believed to be justice. During her grade school years, Randi discovered her magical connection with dogs when she entered her first animal shelter. Lucky and Skippy, the scruffy, tan terrier mixes who were her companions of choice throughout her childhood, inspired her to begin putting her deepest thoughts into poetry and prose.

Embracing an eclectic smorgasbord of the finer things of life, Randi consumed her grade, middle and high school years with stage acting, ballet, and many 8-hour days playing first chair flute. At the age of 14, Randi survived a devastating horseback riding accident that left her unconscious and crushed the tips off of her fingers. She refused to let that stop her and instead of giving up flute or her first chair solos, Randi performed her solos with her arm in a sling and bandaged fingers at her year-end Portola Junior High concert!

Randi during a photoshoot.

Often too mischievous for her own good, most people are baffled upon learning Randi has been a staunch Conservative and was politically active at CSUN while pursuing her degree in psychology.

During her college years, Randi became engrossed in bodybuilding and learned that affirmations alone allowed her to leg press over 400 pounds! Randi ultimately appeared on the pages of an International Muscle clothing magazine and today, over 30 years later, continues to weight train regularly with the awareness that a strong body is connected to maintaining a strong mind and spirit.

After graduating from California State University at Northridge with a degree in Psychology and Theater, Randi felt as though her soul had been ripped from her when the last of her loves, Skippy, transcended. Randi felt the need to leave California and spent that summer travelling the US with her sister, following the Grateful Dead and ending up at a Rainbow gathering, much to her own surprise! But the screeching of car tires and screaming of an injured dog, catapulted Randi back home and to the animal shelter where she found her childhood dogs.

Inky following in her mother's footsteps (1989).

When Randi was informed of the startling statistics of animals euthanized at public shelters, her life was about to take an unforgettable turn. Instead of going for her masters in psychology, she gave birth to one of the first, most respected, private, cageless animal rescue organizations in Southern California, Recycled Pets Rescue. She also pioneered a unique concept that was foreign in her area at that time—mobile dog adoptions held at well trafficked locations.

Randi found herself learning, and then taking over, every aspect that would optimize her ability to see her rescued animals thrive. Helping many abused dogs overcome their fears, she fell into a successful career training dogs and cats for movie work, as well as for obedience, resulting in a plethora of awards and trophies for both her and some of her "unadoptables." Several of these dogs ultimately became a permanent part of her family and were on television.

After demonstrating her love and care for animals and undergoing extensive training, Randi was proudly sworn in as a California State Humane Officer on January 2, 1993.

Always room for one more! (1993)

With Randi’s true passion going to helping the less desirable senior dogs, she spent so much time in veterinary offices that she found herself assisting with and then learning many of the technical procedures required to properly care for her animals.

Always searching for that magic cure that would defy the limits of conventional medicine, in 1996, Randi joined forces with Japan’s leading health and wellness company, Nikken. After witnessing life saving/altering results on both animals and humans with the use of their patented technologies, Randi began her next mission.

Within two and a half years, Randi built a record-breaking business with Nikken that reached the top 2% throughout North America, gifted her with a Jaguar and enabled her to purchase her first home while helping others. Randi had a reputation of making this business fun but also was very discerning in only working with those who were accountable and would make a commitment. During that time, Randi still continued running her charity and became very accustomed to thriving on three hours of sleep or less. She is NOT an advocate of this for anyone else!

Over the years, Randi kept journals about her life and her rescues, often sharing some of these stories while on stage speaking and writing for various magazines.

Read about Goose and Buster in My Recycled Pets: Diary of a Dog Addict

In 2001, Randi finally took the time to begin creating her next dream ... the book that would hold some of her most memorable and surreal rescue stories, as well as share how she learned to overcome negativity and limiting beliefs.

This dream came to fruition with the release of her book, My Recycled Pets: Diary of a Dog Addict. But tragically, one of Randi’s first rescues as an adult, Snickers, unexpectedly passed away at 18, just days after the release of her book and three days before her birthday. Randi put the celebration and promoting of her book on hold indefinitely so that she could cope with this painful loss.

Snickers was Randi's first rescue and her inspiration to start Recycled Pets. They were together for 17 years, rescuing thousands of dogs and through the release of her first book, My Recycled Pets: Diary of a Dog Addict. The week that the book was released, Snickers unexpectedly transcended. He was Randi's messenger and left when his mission had been accomplished.

Nevertheless, shortly after, her book received a Writer’s Digest Award in the inspirational category and Randi was back in action.

With the loss of Snickers and so many of her other 4-legged lifemates over the years, Randi found herself drawn to Washington State and a new life away from the pain that continued to haunt her. In 2005 Randi manifested one of the biggest dreams of her life... a secluded home overlooking Puget Sound where she could continue her writing and healing of animals. With no plans, Randi packed up her Truck with four of her most unadoptable, abused and health challenged rescues and drove across two states to start her next journey.

The rollercoaster was about to come to full force when one of Randi’s 19 year young rescues who had been written off by Veterinarians throughout the 18½ years he had been with Randi, Skooter Boo 200IQ, disappeared the day after they arrived. Even though Skooter could barely walk, had been in kidney failure twice, had overcome cancer, had a heart condition and vision issues, he seemed to come to life in the Northwest, wandered off to explore and was found by a neighbor in the middle of a 50 foot vertical cliff. Randi was prepared to end her life to save Skooter’s but was unable to climb this cliff so called 911. Two search and rescue trucks with five men came to retrieve Skooter’s body. When Skooter’s body was finally pulled from the cliff, he trotted back to his new “home” without a scratch on him, legs working perfectly and began hiking almost daily for the first time in his life!

More animal miracles happened while in Washington, resulting in a second edition of Randi’s Inspirational Award winning book, which sold out in seven months and is currently out of print. (We do have very limited copies available of both editions).

Randi continued researching holistic modalities and healers from around the globe after all but giving up on veterinarians and experiencing too many vet errors. Today she is most passionate about sharing some of what she has utilized that enables her to help her dogs thrive into their twenties…contrary to what most vets believe is possible.

Randi continues to share her time between Puget Sound and Southern California. She has learned to embrace humility and the pain of loss with grace after a series of tragedies over the last several years took a toll on her and it "appeared" she was losing everything, including her own health. A devastating fire that destroyed her cherished California home and a significant lawsuit arising from that, along with a number of veterinarians from a vet hospital committing malpractice on one of her most beloved rescues (which left him in a coma like state and unable to walk) has taken Randi on a new path of fighting for justice and accountability to protect the public.

Randi has spent the majority of her life living out her eclectic missions and has always been intrigued with understanding how best to help all beings elevate to a higher level. She believes that at some level we play a role in everything that happens in our lives, that we are not victims and our thoughts have the power to create a different reality. It is not uncommon to find her home filled with rambunctious, blind or gray-muzzled dogs that are unaware they have surpassed voting age!

Since 1987, Randi has been responsible for the rescuing, rehabilitating or rehoming of over 10,000 animals, including but not limited to dogs, cats, squirrels, iguanas, birds, bunnies, guinea pigs, goats, rats, horses turtles and an occasional human.

Being productive and working with people on a business or mission has always been Randi’s ideal over just socializing. Through maturity Randi states she has learned to embrace many of her type A quirks, while others have tried to pound them out of her. Balance in life is a skill she states she is still honing!

Randi Berger’s passionate sincerity, limitless beliefs and unpredictable wit have made her a welcomed guest for speaking engagements as well as radio and television shows. If you are interested in booking Randi for a speaking engagement or event please send an email through our website.

Certainly not.... THE END!

[Back to Top]

Recycled Pets Rescue was established in 1987 and is an all-volunteer 501 (c) 3 non-profit charity. A portion of your contributions may be tax-deductible. Any products mentioned are not meant to be used in the place of veterinary Care. Please consult your veterinarian about any supplementation you add to your pets diet.

© 2007-22 Randi Berger • Recycled Pets Rescue