Golden Retriever With One Tiny Ear Melts Hearts Online: 'Very Own Nemo Fin'

A golden retriever named Nala has stolen hearts across the internet, after appearing in a viral TikTok video, where she can be seen with one abnormally small ear.

The footage under the username @mabel.and.nalaa shows a somber-looking Nala with a caption that highlights her birth defect: "when the other dogs at the dog park make fun of your little ear."

The condition, which has been affectionately coined a "Nemo fin" in previous videos created by Nala's owner, is a birth defect that affects a baby's ear, human or canine.

According to a report from Artvin Coruh University in Turkey, the genetic condition named microtia inhibits the external ear of a human or animal from forming properly and often ends up being too small, which can leave dogs like Nala with a smaller ear flap or ear canal than average.

While Nala clearly hasn't been "bullied" by other canines, dogs with genetic conditions or organ defects are likely to experience less love from their human counterparts than able-bodied pups without any known deformity.

Texas-based veterinarian and owner of Pet Method, Dr. Hunter Finn, told Newsweek: "Most dog owners when adopting prefer an animal that fits easily into their lifestyle, and dogs with genetic, structural, or chronic issues may very well be less likely to be adopted for those reasons."

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The newly TikTok-famous golden retriever has, however, received thousands of messages in support of her ear defect, with one user telling Nala that she's "perfect" and another commenting that they're "in love."

One TikToker wrote, "Don't listen to them, you are perfect in every way," while another comment read: "she is perfect."

Nala's owner had called the ear defect, "our very own Nemo fin", in earlier videos.

The account, @Mabel.And.Nalaa, has attracted lots of attention since the video centered on Nala's ear took TikTok by storm in December. After being posted on December 30, 2022, the video has since amassed a total of 1.4 million views.

The golden retriever appears to live in Liverpool, northwestern England, with her 24-year-old owner Kennedy and a border collie named Mabel. Kennedy had been documenting her dogs' lives since Mabel first joined her family as a puppy, and has since collaborated with big-name canine brands like pet-food maker Scrumbles through adverts on social media.

Findings from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) revealed that roughly 2 million dogs are adopted from U.S. shelters every year, but it's a well-known fact that animals with special needs or rare conditions are less likely to be picked up by a family.

The COVID-19 pandemic saw a boom in the number of households adopting or buying dogs, but after lockdowns eased and societies reverted to normal, many of the pets purchased during the height of the pandemic were given up to shelters.

It is likely that dogs with special needs or that require additional care were among those returned to shelters after their owners' lives picked up in pace post-pandemic, and they no longer had the time to meet their pets' demands.

Surveys conducted by Petfinder.com illustrate that the adoption rates of animals considered less adoptable due to birth defects are far lower than those without, and that they make up a large portion of dogs and pets in shelters.

Adopting a disabled dog may seem quite daunting to many potential dog owners, but the positive benefits are likely to outweigh the challenges if the willing owner has a safe and loving home ready for the pup and has accepted the learning they will have to endure. Like any other dog, the disabled animal is likely to become loyal and devoted to their new owner after receiving love and care.

Many charities and shelters assist families with settling in new pups, especially if they have special needs, and generous insurance policies are available to safeguard new owners' finances if their new animal ever needs additional medical care.

Welcoming a disabled dog into your home could be one of the most-rewarding things that anyone can do, and it can ease pressure off of overcrowded shelters and grant neglected pups or pups that face daily difficulties a new lease of life.

While having a birth defect could have an impact on a dog's chances of being adopted, they can affect their quality of life and health status, too.

Ear defects in dogs can range from being solely cosmetic or aesthetic, to creating a dramatic reduction in the quality of a pet's life.

"The more common issues we see in dogs' ears in the veterinary profession deal with chronic or recurrent ear infections that can be extremely painful and financially draining on owners," said Finn.

"Sometimes, these dogs with previous ear infections will have scar tissue built up in these ears that can lead to further issues with the proper maintenance and hygiene," he added.

This additional maintenance is likely to require more due diligence by potential owners, and a dedication to regular cleaning and vet visits.

Newsweek reached out to @mabel.and.nalaa for comment.

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