Don Pepe was found abandoned in a box outside the Mistley Animal Rescue Centre in the fall of 2020. His rescuers suspected he’d come from a puppy farm, as he wasn’t at all used to being inside or getting affection. He warmed up quickly, though, and his new friends at the shelter hoped he would find a home right away, but that wasn’t the case.
“He was at the shelter for about five months before I adopted him,” Khaya Castagnoli, Don Pepe’s mom, told The Dodo. “People had been passing him up because of his tongue.”
Don Pepe is a senior pup and only has two teeth left — so it’s pretty much impossible for him to keep his very long tongue in his mouth. It gives him a unique look that some people didn’t appreciate, but as soon as Castagnoli saw Don Pepe and his wild tongue, she knew she had to adopt him.
Now, Don Pepe lives with his mom in London, and his tongue is still as unpredictable as ever. It’s clear the tiny senior dog has very little control over it, causing it to end up in funny positions …
… or even get blown around on a windy day.
“Sometimes I swear it seems like he waves with his tongue, but whether this is voluntary or involuntary, I’m not sure,” Castagnoli said. “He does give licks still, so he does have some control over it.”
