A 14-pound puppy, left in a cage on the side of a road in northern New Jersey, is fighting for his life after rescuers discovered he has no tongue. The puppy, now named Noodle, was found after a Good Samaritan watched a car pull over, unload the cage and drive away.
According to Pet Rescue Report, the witness had been working in the area when the vehicle stopped at the kerb. The exact town where Noodle was found has not been announced, but social media posts by Jersey Pits Rescue and the Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge (RBARI) place the abandonment in northern New Jersey. Noodle was emaciated, frail and desperately in need of medical care. Most alarming of all, he does not have a tongue.
A survivor, despite everything
RBARI rushed Noodle to its emergency veterinarian, where he has since had a full medical evaluation. His doctors believe he lost his tongue to a traumatic injury rather than being born without it. According to National Animal News, Jersey Pits Rescue said the tongue was “cut out by sadistic human beings”, and vets also found staples and metal objects in the puppy’s stomach.
Despite all of it, veterinarians report that Noodle is alert, happy, hungry and affectionate. Hospital staff quoted by Pet Rescue Report called him “literally just the sweetest little guy”, adding: “He’s always wagging his tail, even when we’re just walking by. He’s sleeping right now but he’s just such a perfect little soul. This little pup has definitely stolen my heart.”
How to help Noodle
Noodle’s care continues, and rescuers are keeping the name of his veterinary hospital private as a precaution. Supporters can follow his recovery or contribute to his medical expenses through the official Jersey Pits Rescue Facebook page. The rescue group said of the puppy, who has survived the unthinkable in just his first few weeks of life: “Now we will do whatever we can to save him.”
Noodle’s story is a hard one to read, but it is also a story about what happens next: a witness who stopped, a rescue that moved fast, and a puppy who, against every odd, is still wagging his tail.
Read more viral stories on ReportRig: Terrified Shelter Dog Lola Finds Forever Home After Viral Video and Man Flies 2,000 Miles to Adopt Shelter Dog Nobody Wanted.
