UPDATE: A Unicorn, a Narwhal, and a Puppy All Rolled Into One
An animal rescue shelter in Missouri has taken in an abandoned puppy that has a second tail growing from the middle of its head.
Photos of the 10-week-old pooch — which the staff at Mac’s Mission has named “Narwhal” — have gone viral, amassing tens of thousands of likes on Facebook.
Veterinarians have X-rayed the dog’s second tail and found it isn’t attached to anything vital. But because it doesn’t cause Narwhal any pain, they’re not going to surgically remove it.
Thousands of people have contacted the shelter trying to adopt him, so he is in very high demand.
He’s the craziest, cutest little thing I’ve ever seen, and of course, my daughter, who is obsessed with unicorns and LOVEs dogs, wants to drive to Missouri and adopt Narwhal. It’s not happening, but he is cute.
UPDATE (11/15/19): As it turns out, there’s a big demand for puppies with tails growing from their heads. After photos of a dog named Narwhal went viral on Wednesday, workers at the Mac’s Mission animal rescue in Missouri have been swamped with adoption requests. But Mac’s Mission owner Rochelle Steffen says the shelter’s employees have decided to keep the little pooch, who’s been nicknamed “the unicorn dog” by online news agencies. Steffen also says the shelter has received complaints from people who think Narwhal’s extra tail should be removed. However, since vets determined the “tail” is really just a fur-covered piece of cartilage, there’s no need to perform unnecessary surgery on the puppy. “Since sharing this story they’ve come at us and said, ‘This is terrible. Take it off,'” Steffen says of the extra tail. “But there’s no reason to take it off. He’s 100 percent normal with just a bit of flair on his face.”