Mario joined Last Hope after he was hit by a car in the Davenport, Iowa area in early April 2023. Although Mario is partially paralyzed with very limited use of his back legs and hind end in general, he is a healthy and happy dog with lots of zest for life - he just needs to match himself with the right humans to help him on his journey! He is changing and improving every day, so the future is bright for him!

Mario has blossomed in our care, we have learned lots about him including his love for sunbathing and being outside in general! He loves people of all ages, is friendly and curious with all animals, he enjoys a good bubble bath where he can soak his feet and then will gladly roll around on a shag carpet all day long.  Mario is also quite the foodie, and enjoys snacks such as watermelon, sardines and ice cubes!  Mario truly enjoys being where his family is, he does not want to be left behind or miss out on any of the action. He would not be an ideal match for someone that is gone long hours every day.  He is also not a fan of storms or fireworks, and does take calming medication for anticipated loud events like this.  Mario will be happy to be crated when he is left alone, and he does currently wear a diaper or belly band for elimination.

Mario is an ideal candidate for a foster to adopt scenario, this will allow the rescue to continue to support Mario's new family as he settles in and they become familiar with his care.  Mario has had diagnostics and imaging,he is currently receiving ongoing chiropractic and acupuncture care with Dr Christine Woodford in the Cedar Rapids, IA area and takes anti-inflammatory pain medication daily. Mario will require care that includes lifting him for grooming/bathing (he is approx. 50 pounds), monitoring his skin for lesions/abrasions and cleaning/providing wound care as needed (this could be on his belly or underside from urine or moisture, or on his legs, feet and tail from dragging his hind end as he tries to walk.  Mario is starting to regain some feeling and muscle tone, he is not yet able to fully empty his bladder without assistance.  He can be manually expressed 3-4 times a day, and a more thorough expression can be done every other day to fully empty his bladder (this is something that is very easy to do and that we can easily train a person on!) Mario is a good candidate for a wheelchair or cart, this is something that Last Hope will provide for him!

Mario's adoption fee is $250 and includes his current vaccinations, preventatives and a neuter surgery (this has not been performed yet, but will be scheduled and covered by Last Hope).  Mario is seeking an indoor only home, and an owner who has a history of having kept current/former pets altered, current on vaccinations and preventatives as indoor pets only.  Mario is seeking a home with 1 hour of Cedar Rapids, or with a family that is willing to transport him to this area for routine veterinary care as requested.   

Applications can be found on our website at www.adopthope.org. Please allow 24-72 hours for a response to inquiries. We are an all volunteer organization. We will get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you!