Dogs of the Week: Ricky and Luna

Julia D Dog of the Week

Ricky and Luna are a bonded pair of cuteness!  If you are looking for sweet, little, bonded, velcro dogs, Ricky and Luna are your perfect match! Once they are comfortable with you and feel safe, they love to be in your lap, giving kisses, or just watching tv and napping with you.   They are around 1 to 2 years old and take a little while to warm up to new situations but once they do they are cuddly and very sweet. They are good with dogs but new people may take some time to warm up, and cats or small children are not a good fit.   Ricky and Luna need a secure fence over 4 feet. Both are altered, love to run, and play with toys; we are working on not barking and biting the Roomba as it travels across the floor. You really need to meet these two to appreciate how special and adorable they are and to see their fabulous treat dance!

The adoption fee for Ricky and Luna is $400 and includes neuter surgery, being up to date on vaccinations and preventives, microchips with free lifetime registration, and a free obedience class.

If you’d like to meet these two adorable sweeties, please complete an adoption application HERE.

Cat of the Week: Star #2

Julia D Cat of the Week

Star #2 is a beautiful female Torbie; she has a wonderfully soft brown tabby coat that is peppered with little spots of orange. She may be the second kitty named Star in our system but make no mistake – this girl is a bright and beautiful star!   Star is a quiet and friendly girl. She enjoys attention but is not overly eager, instead she waits patiently for you to come to her and then gently softens and accepts your pets with soft eyes and a quiet purr.  We think she will make a terrific lap cat! Star #2 has not been introduced to dogs, she has met a few cats but to our knowledge has not lived with any others.  She would likely do okay in a home with other adult animals that are on the quieter side like her. She is about one year old.

Star #2’s adoption fee is $85 and includes spay surgery, being up to date on vaccinations, and a microchip with free lifetime registration.

If you’d like to meet Star #2, please complete an adoption application HERE.

Volunteer of the Month: Nicole Moore

Julia D Volunteer of the Month

Nicole Moore has been volunteering with Last Hope since July of 2023. She is one of our foster heroes! She also volunteers at fundraising events and hopes to do more of that in the coming year.

She found out about Last Hope through our founder, Sonia who shared with her how the rescue got started. Nicole’s father was a veterinarian so she grew up around pets and helped him out in his practice so volunteering for Last Hope seemed like a good fit.

Currently, she and her family are fostering a Pit Bill named Hank that she says is a great dog that loves his humans but does need a fenced yard. The pictures in this article are of hunky Hank.

Nicole says she likes to volunteer because she wants to help pets that don’t seem to have luck on their side because every pet deserves love, shelter, and having their everyday needs met. If she can make a difference for just one pet, that’s one pet that gets a chance to be spoiled and loved by a family.

According to Nicole, “If anyone is thinking about fostering please do so because there are so many pets that need loving homes. If you can’t foster then volunteer with your time or donate items to help care for these pets in need.  It has been a great experience for our family and a great opportunity for my kids to learn responsibility.”

We love having volunteers/fosters like Nicole and her family! They care deeply for the pets they help and encourage others to get involved. We are lucky to have her.

Dog of the Week: Lacey

Julia D Dog of the Week

Lacey is a friendly and outgoing chocolate lab looking for a family of her own! She spent her first few years of life as a farm dog but is ready to be a city girl now and enjoy the finer things in life! Lacey was spayed when she joined rescue and she is now on a journey to live the best life possible so this means she would like an owner who will help her to start living an active life. Lacey is an extra large pup, currently weighing about 95 pounds,  A little moderate exercise will help Lacey to slim down a touch and in turn, we think she’ll make a terrific walking companion.  Don’t let her size fool you though, this girl is all lap dog. Given the chance, she will make herself right at home on the couch and is likely to steal the best spot in the house. Lacey can be selective about the other dogs she wants to live with. She did live with another large male with no issues.  However, she hasn’t been fond of younger, high-energy dogs that get in her face and she doesn’t seem to do well with other females.  Lacey would do just fine in a home with elementary-aged kids or older. She is about six years old.

Lacey’s adoption fee is $250 and includes spay surgery, being up to date on vaccinations and preventives, a microchip with free lifetime registration, and a free obedience class.

If this great girl strikes your fancy and you’d like to meet her, please complete an adoption application HERE.

Cat of the Week: Ruckus

Julia D Cat of the Week

Ruckus first joined Last Hope in 2020; he was adopted by a wonderful family and lived very happily with two kids and two other cats.  Unfortunately, one of Ruckus’ parents passed away in 2023 and he was returned a few months later to our care. Ruckus is so friendly, but understandably a little broken-hearted as his whole world fell apart very quickly. Ruckus would love a home with people of all ages, and we think that with proper introduction he can live easily with other animals as he has before.  We hope that Ruckus can find his forever family and that we can assure him he will never be rehomed again! He is about four years old.

Ruckus’ adoption fee is $85 and includes neuter surgery, being up to date on vaccinations, and a microchip with free lifetime registration.

If you think you need a little ruckus in your life, please complete an adoption application HERE.

Dog of the Week: Ziva

Julia D Dog of the Week

Hello! My name is Ziva. If you’re looking for a fun-loving, energetic, and goofy girl, then I am your girl! Shortly after was born I was diagnosed with a condition called Megaesophagus. This brought me to the Rescue and to my medical foster mom who had to help me grow! My Megaesophagus does not slow anything down about me other than my eating! I need a little extra time to eat and require a special chair called a Bailey chair to sit in while eating, or my food will not be able to fully get through my XL esophagus causing me to vomit. My Foster mom says that since l like my Bailey chair so much it gets to come with me to my future family! Given how young I am, the veterinarian did say that there is a chance my body will grow and change as I age, and there may be some improvement to my megaesophagus. Only time will tell!    I love to go on walks, learn new tricks, and make new dog and human friends! I have tried to make friends with cats but sometimes I get a little too excited to meet them and they don’t appreciate me licking them to say hi. I know I require a little extra attention but I just know my perfect family is out there waiting for me! Ziva is about four months old.

Ziva’s adoption fee is $300 and that includes spay surgery, being up to date on vaccinations and preventives, a microchip with free lifetime registration, and a free obedience class.

If this cutie patootie makes your heart melt and you’d like to meet Ziva, please complete an adoption application HERE.

Cats of the Week: Champ and Roxy

Julia D Cat of the Week

Roxy and Champ originally joined Last Hope in 2018 as tiny kittens in a larger litter that was left out in the cold with their mother near Christmastime.  One by one each kitten was adopted and Roxy and Champ found a single home together! Unfortunately, in 2023 the owner returned them to our care as they had a newfound allergy to cats. Roxy and Champ make a wonderful pair; they are outgoing and friendly and complement each other very well. They can live very happily with people of all ages as well as with other animals, including other kitties. They both love to give head butts and nose boops so if you are looking for affectionate felines, this is your pair! They are seeking one home together and will fill your heart with love and your home with laughter as they delight in having a FUR-ever home!  They are approximately 5 years old now, Roxy is a female and Champ is a male.

Champ and Roxy’s adoption fee is $150 and includes spay/neuter surgery and microchips with free lifetime registration.

This playful and affectionate pair will keep you entertained. If you’d like to meet them, please complete an adoption application HERE.

Dog of the Week: Asher

Julia D Dog of the Week

Asher’s story is an incredible before-and-after tale of what a difference a little help and a lot of love can make. Asher was surrendered to Last Hope after losing so much weight that a vet stepped in and convinced the previous owner to let us help him. Asher was 40 pounds when he was rescued. He quickly put on the pounds and is now at his healthy weight of 60 pounds. He is a food lover and loves to train so he can sneak in a snack or two through the day. He knows “sit,” “wait,” “kennel,” “come,” “paw,” “off,” “gentle,” and is house and crate trained.

Asher loves laying on a soft pillow or dog bed. His favorite spot to be is in bed snuggling with his foster mom, but he spends most of the day snoring in his little covered dog bed. Asher loves every human he has ever met but submits immediately when a dog comes around. Finding a k9 sibling he feels safe around might take a very special friend that will respect his space. Asher loves to play, but going in the garden is by far his favorite activity. His fur can often be seen with a green hue after digging through the leaves of his favorite tomato plant looking for a snack. Asher is a safe passenger in the car as he respects the rules of staying in the back seat, but a family always on the go might not make the best fit as car rides can make him worried. Asher would rather spend his time trotting in the backyard chewing on sticks. Asher loves any toy he is given permission to have and especially loves human attention so getting his teeth brushed and nails trimmed is no problem for him. A good hair brush is what dreams are made of! When he was malnourished, his hair, skin, and nails were neglected, leaving him with an infection that needed medicated baths. Now that he is all recovered, he still loves the feeling of itching a scratch with daily brushes. When you get an itch just right, he will sing your praises with piggy-like snorts.

Asher deserves a family who will be loving and understanding of his past, as by definition, he was nearly starved to death. Sometimes he needs reminding that he no longer needs to fear food scarcity and to take his treats gently, which he happily does when asked.  He is always ready for his next meal, and will sometimes forget that sticks don’t need to be consumed. His skin and nails are very sensitive, likely due to his neglect, so kind reminders to play with sticks can help him reduce upset tummies in the morning. Asher is estimated to be around 3 years old but still likes to play tug with his younger foster brother. They love playing outside with each other between nap breaks. He is one lazy pup but missed out on a lot of playtime in his past and deserves the chance to make up for that lost time. If you would love to meet this amazing little guy, start your application now and give him the life he always deserved. He is about 3.5 years old.

Asher’s adoption fee is $250 and includes neuter surgery, being up to date on vaccinations and preventives, a microchip with free lifetime registration, and a free obedience class.

If you’d like to pamper and love asher, please complete an adoption application HERE.

Bunny of the Week: Sundae

Julia D Rabbit of the Week

Sundae has ears to hear you coming and a nose for spunk. She is energetic and is looking for a family to match! Don’t let her enthusiasm fool you, she has big brown eyes that you just can’t help but fall in love with. Sundae is litter box trained and looking for her forever home. If you want a companion that is sociable then you have to meet Sundae. She is about three and a half years old.

Sundae’s adoption fee is $50.00 which includes her spay surgery.

If you’d like to meet this sweet treat, please complete an adoption application HERE.

Volunteers of the Month: Regina and Chuck Everhart

Julia D Volunteer of the Month

Regina and Chuck have been volunteering for about three years. They have always taken in strays and provided shelter and food for community cats. A couple of years ago they found two groups of kittens that had been dumped. Some were too young and needed bottle feeding while others were obviously not well. Regina says, “Last Hope stepped up and helped us with them.  We were so impressed with the compassion Last Hope showed for them all, that we felt it was an organization we wanted to be part of.”

When they began volunteering they started by cleaning cages and socializing the LHAR cats housed at Coralville PetSmart. They also transported cats to IHA and took rescued cats and kittens to the Adoption Center for evaluation and/or foster placement.

One FIV+ cat had to be segregated and stole their hearts. They are retired and their kids are grown so they had three extra bedrooms. One of those became his room. He was adopted soon after that. It wasn’t long after that that some orphaned kittens were found and they took them in because none of the local fosters had room and they needed a foster experienced with bottle feeding. Regina and Chuck took in the four kittens. Regina says, “When we went to our cabin at the lake, they went with us.  It was one of the most rewarding things we have ever done. Since then, we have taken several fosters. They are all part of the family until they find their own furever homes.  We currently have 4 fosters that are on medication and love them dearly.”

They have made lifelong friends with some people at Last Hope as well as memories of their foster cats that they will cherish forever.

We are lucky to have volunteers like Regina and Chuck because they have a wealth of experience and love the cats they foster. Their dedication and willingness to help is priceless. Thank you Regina and Chuck, for all you do!