HOME | DD

Description
Another picture of Mario.

In 2003, a rendering truck driver, who arrived at a dairy farm to pick up dead cows, was horrorfied and distraught to find the 45-pound Jersey calf helplessly lying atop a stack of corpses, alive and healthy except for an injured leg. It was clear to the driver that Mario had been discarded not only due to the injury, but because, as a male calf, he was considered worthless by the dairy and undeserving of humane euthanasia.

Though quite accusomed to the ugly side of animal agriculutre, the driver was so deeply disturbed and moved by Mario's plight, that from his mobile phone, he called friends he knew could help Mario find his way to Farm Sanctuary. The driver then quietly and gently placed Mario in the front seat of his truck and hurried him away from the horror of the dead pile and toward his new future.

The afternoon Mario arrived at the California Shelter, it was evident that the injury to his right front leg was serious, and he was rushed to a local vet for x-rays and diagnosis. It was confirmed that little Mario had a fractured humerus, and determined that he would need to be seen by orthopedic specialists at UC Davis Veterinary School as soon as possible if there could be any chance of successfully repairing the leg. After examining and fully assessing him, the veterinary hospital orthopedic department delivered the expected news that repairing Mario's leg would be very challenging, would require lengthy recovery and rehabilitation, and would be extremely expensive. The fracture was not a clean break and would greatly complicate things. Furthermore, there were not likely to be any guarantees that the repair would be ultimately successful. In Mario's favor, however, was the fact the he was newborn and his bones could heal quickly, and that Farm Sanctuary's shelter staff would be more than willing to spend as much time as was necessary with him on rehabilitation and treatments, and to customize his recovery environment to perfectly suit his needs. The okay to proceed with surgery was given.

After a total of 10 days in intensive care at the hospital, Mario was stable enough to make the trip home. Mario's recovery proceeded even better than predicted. The six-inch incision on his upper leg healed perfectly, and his appetite, attitude and spunk were wonderfully above average from the beginning. For several weeks, Mario wore a splint for 12 to 14 hours a day. The splint prevented his hoof from buckling under when he walked, and the caregivers spent two to three hours per day helping him to place the leg correctly, and flexing the tendons to speed their recovery. Mario loved "therapy time," and was very generous with kisses while they put on and removed his splint.

Mario, now a fully grown, happy and healthy steer, roams the many pastures with his friends in the main catle heard, chasing down the Mule at lunch time, and eating all the grass and plants to his heart's desire. His crooked face just adds to his wonderful, kind and sweet personality, and you couldn't be able to tell that this little big guy every had a broken leg.

[link]

[link]

Description
Another picture of Mario.

In 2003, a rendering truck driver, who arrived at a dairy farm to pick up dead cows, was horrorfied and distraught to find the 45-pound Jersey calf helplessly lying atop a stack of corpses, alive and healthy except for an injured leg. It was clear to the driver that Mario had been discarded not only due to the injury, but because, as a male calf, he was considered worthless by the dairy and undeserving of humane euthanasia.

Though quite accusomed to the ugly side of animal agriculutre, the driver was so deeply disturbed and moved by Mario's plight, that from his mobile phone, he called friends he knew could help Mario find his way to Farm Sanctuary. The driver then quietly and gently placed Mario in the front seat of his truck and hurried him away from the horror of the dead pile and toward his new future.

The afternoon Mario arrived at the California Shelter, it was evident that the injury to his right front leg was serious, and he was rushed to a local vet for x-rays and diagnosis. It was confirmed that little Mario had a fractured humerus, and determined that he would need to be seen by orthopedic specialists at UC Davis Veterinary School as soon as possible if there could be any chance of successfully repairing the leg. After examining and fully assessing him, the veterinary hospital orthopedic department delivered the expected news that repairing Mario's leg would be very challenging, would require lengthy recovery and rehabilitation, and would be extremely expensive. The fracture was not a clean break and would greatly complicate things. Furthermore, there were not likely to be any guarantees that the repair would be ultimately successful. In Mario's favor, however, was the fact the he was newborn and his bones could heal quickly, and that Farm Sanctuary's shelter staff would be more than willing to spend as much time as was necessary with him on rehabilitation and treatments, and to customize his recovery environment to perfectly suit his needs. The okay to proceed with surgery was given.

After a total of 10 days in intensive care at the hospital, Mario was stable enough to make the trip home. Mario's recovery proceeded even better than predicted. The six-inch incision on his upper leg healed perfectly, and his appetite, attitude and spunk were wonderfully above average from the beginning. For several weeks, Mario wore a splint for 12 to 14 hours a day. The splint prevented his hoof from buckling under when he walked, and the caregivers spent two to three hours per day helping him to place the leg correctly, and flexing the tendons to speed their recovery. Mario loved "therapy time," and was very generous with kisses while they put on and removed his splint.

Mario, now a fully grown, happy and healthy steer, roams the many pastures with his friends in the main catle heard, chasing down the Mule at lunch time, and eating all the grass and plants to his heart's desire. His crooked face just adds to his wonderful, kind and sweet personality, and you couldn't be able to tell that this little big guy every had a broken leg.

[link]

[link]