An abandoned puppy rescued from the cold has captured the hearts of dog lovers around the world thanks to the extra tail on his head.
Mac’s Mission dog rescue found the puppy alongside another older dog in rural Missouri in the freezing cold. They immediately saw there was something different about the pup.
“This puppy has a TAIL COMING OUT OF HIS FOREHEAD and a foot injury of some sort,” the Mac’s Mission wrote on Facebook after they rescued him on November 8, 2019. The animal rescue focuses on helping dogs with special needs, and this puppy certainly fit the bill.
They decided to name him “Narwhal the Little Magical Furry Unicorn” (Narwhal for short) and noted that the “tail in his forehead does not wag that we have seen.”
Narwhal’s extra tail immediately drew a lot of attention when photos were posted on their Facebook page. The rescue group took him to Cape Small Animal Clinic for examination where it was determined that. Narwhal’s tail is a congenital defect and does not have any bone and is not connected to his skull. Mac’s Mission responded to all the curiosity as follows:
The million dollar question about Narwhals extra tail on his face. Is it connected and does it wag? The extra tail is not connected to anything and has no real use other than making him the COOLEST PUPPY EVER! One of our followers said, “It appears they assembled the puppy wrong. Always follow the directions people!” This is a true experience of having “extra parts” during assembly. Dr. Heuring said there is no real reason at this time for the unicorn tail to be removed (and we all wish it wagged)!! Pretty sure the staff at Cape Small also gushed all over this little nugget!
Dr. Heuring examines Narwhal. Photo: Mac’s Mission
The unicorn face tail does not bother Narwhal and he never slows down just like any normal puppy. He seems completely healthy other than some usual puppy worms he got meds for. He is not available for adoption immediately as we want him to grow a bit more and truly make sure the tail doesn’t become a bother or problem. Right now he is pretty much the most unique amazing example of what we do here and we are so thankful to have the chance to be part of his journey. Thank you everyone for helping us help them!”
Mac’s Mission
Asked if Narwhal’s extra appendage affects his vision or balance, Mac’s Mission responded on Facebook: “[Narwhal] was examined by our vet and had xrays done and he does not believe there are any problems with leaving it there. As we learned with Bumble [eds. another dog they cared for] sometimes there are other genetic factors in cases like these so we are being super cautious and want to ensure he has everything he needs. We will do whatever is best for our little Narwhal.”
For now that means making sure he makes friends.
Has lots of playtime – “Just another video of our narwhal the magical fuzzy unicorn puppy because we think he is amazing.”
And gets lots of sleep.
Since Narwhal appeared on social media, his unique appearance has made him go viral. As his rescuers point out, the pup doesn’t know what viral is, but Steffen knows that special puppies like Narwhal help other special pups.
Mac’s Mission focuses on dogs with special needs and although they have received plenty of interest from potential adopters for Narwhal, but he’s staying put for now to ensure he’s healthy before he goes to a home. The group writes, “We are not accepting applications for him right now until we are very certain his unicorn horn is not going to have a growth spurt and become an issue) (no it does not wag) (yes he is keeping it) (yes he is amazingly awesome!!).”
Pupdate:
Narwhal has found a forever home – with his rescuers! The sweet fellow is super loved and he helps other special needs ups like him and regularly attends events to promote the adoption of dogs with special needs. He’s also working on becoming a therapy dog so he can visit hospitals!
To see Narwhal’s progress and support other awesome dogs in the care of Mac’s Mission, visit their Facebook page and website.
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