Man Drives 2,800 Miles To Save Dog From Being Euthanized

Mar 19, 2019 by apost team

After Mario Rodriguez lost his beloved pit bull, King, he knew that the only thing that would help his sorrow was to get another dog.

The Georgia man said that it felt as if he lost a part of his soul when King left them. As a truck driver, Mario was on a run to California when his wife sent him a link to another pit bull that needed to be adopted.

Mario could not help but notice the resemblance between the new dog, Hickory, and his old pit bull terrier, King. Mario could not get Hickory off of his mind. He knew in his heart that he needed to make him a part of his family. The only problem was that Hickory was located in New York.

“It felt like a part of my soul left with him,” he told The Dodo. “I couldn’t save him, but I’m gonna save a couple for him.”

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When Mario learned that Hickory was in danger of being put to sleep, he sprung into action. Mario was able to get a delivery headed to New York and he started off on the 2,800-mile journey to rescue Hickory. 

Along the way, Mario kept in contact with the shelter. He called them so much that they began to recognize his number. Although it took six days to reach Hickory, the dog was still there waiting for his new owner to meet him.

Mario told The Dodo that Hickory immediately started jumping on him when he arrived at the shelter. It is like he already knew that he was going to be adopted by the kind man. Mario was delighted to find out that Hickory and his other two dogs, Angel and Cooper, were all a perfect fit.

He said that Hickory was just the missing piece of the puzzle for their family. Instead of being euthanized, Hickory now gets to ride along with Mario on all of his trucking adventures. What a life this lucky dog is now leading! All because somebody took the time to rescue him.

This adorable video of Mario and Hickory's first meeting is a must-watch for animal lovers. After you have watched this precious homecoming, be sure to spread the happiness to everyone else that you know. 

What do you think of Hickory's story? Have you ever adopted a pet who was about to be euthanised? Let us know in the comments - and make sure you pass this along to your friends and family!