Currents News Staff
The 10-week-old named Narwhal is not the unicorn of the sea, but a unicorn puppy with what appears to be a tail growing from his forehead.
Narwhal was rescued by Rochelle Steffen, the founder of Mac the Pitbull Facebook page and a non-profit that brings life to dogs with special needs.
“How does this not like melt? How does this not melt you, he’s just so adorable,” said Rochelle.
Dr. Brian Heuring — a local veterinarian — has never in his 16 years of caring for animals seen something like this, but doesn’t see a reason to remove Narwhal’s tail.
“He’s got an extra, what looks like a perfect tail, sitting in the center of his forehead,” said veterinarian Dr. Brian Heuring.
“It doesn’t appear to be causing any problems or complications at this time. We went as far as shooting radiographs or x-rays. There are no bony attachments, there are no vertebrates in what looks to be a tail.”
But for Rochelle, “he’s perfect.”
“Why remove it and give him an undo surgery and then why take away his specialty? He makes everybody smile,” she added.
“Now if it were in his eyes or if we all thought that it was gonna grow — ‘cause he’s got a normal tail — so if we thought it was going to grow, we would address it.”
Narwhal isn’t even bothered by his extra tail.
Rochelle see the tail as just a part of him and says he is up for adoption, but she’s getting worried.
“Part of our concern would be somebody adopting him and wanting to cut the tail off,” she explained, adding that until the right person comes along, Narwhal is hers.
“I don’t want to have to break out the mama bear claws and have to hurt somebody if they want to hurt him.”
But she is hopeful he and his tail will find a forever home. “He’s going to be pretty spoiled, no matter where he ends up,” she added.