JACKSON, Mo. – A rescued puppy and Missouri are gaining national attention.
Narwhal was found wandering on the side of the road and Mac’s Mission in Jackson is giving the adorable dog a new lease on life.
“He’s 100 percent normal with just a bit of flair on his face,” said Rochelle Steffen, founder of Mac’s Mission.
That “flair” is a tail tucked between two eyes.
“When I saw him Saturday morning, I literally exploded. He was perfect,” Steffen said.
While Narwhal’s extra tail may not wiggle or waggle, this rescued puppy certainly has another one that does.
“If it wags that means it would be connected to his skull and there would be nerves and there would be the potential for us to have to remove it,” Steffen said.
She said Narwhal has been thoroughly examined by her vet and while he’s never seen something like this, the doctor said it’s a small piece of fur-covered skin with a speck of cartilage, so it can stay so long as it’s not in his way.
“Since sharing this story they’ve come at us and said, ‘This is terrible. Take it off’ but there’s no reason to take it off at this point,” Steffen said.
For Steffen, who has devoted her life to rescuing dogs with disabilities, Narwhal is an example that not just pets but people should embrace what makes them different.
“He’s special. He was made this way. I feel like he needs to have the ability to rock that tail on his face,” she said. “As long as he’s in our rescue he’s going to be able to pull that off.”
At this point, it hasn’t been decided where Narwhal will end up; but he is bringing a lot of attention to dogs who have differences.
