Unfur-gettable: Puppy with green fur born in Sardinia

The tiny dog, immediately named Pistachio, was part of a five-strong litter born on October 9

Pistachio, a puppy who was born with green fur, is seen on the day he was born on a farm on the island of Sardinia, in Pattada, Italy, October 9, 2020. Picture taken October 9, 2020. Handout via REUTERS

Pistachio, a puppy who was born with green fur on October 9 on a farm on the island of Sardinia, is seen in this handout picture made available to Reuters on October 21, 2020, in Pattada, Italy. REUTERS

Pistachio with his siblings. Handout via REUTERS

Pistachio, a puppy who was born with green fur on October 9 on a farm on the island of Sardinia, is seen in this handout picture made available to Reuters on October 21, 2020, in Pattada, Italy. Cristian Mallocci/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT.

However, Pistachio's peculiar colour won't last forever. The bright green his fur had on the day of his birth has faded day by day and it will continue to do so as he gets older. REUTERS

Italian farmer Cristian Mallocci could not believe his eyes when Spelacchia, one of his eight dogs, gave birth to a green-furred puppy.

The tiny pup, immediately named Pistachio, was part of a five-strong litter born on October 9, all with white fur, the same colour as their mixed-breed mum. Except him.

Mr Mallocci runs a farm on the Mediterranean island of Sardinia with his brother-in-law Giannangelo Liperi.

It is extremely rare for a dog to be born with green-coloured fur. It is thought that it happens when fair-furred puppies have contact in their mother’s womb with a green pigment called biliverdin, the substance that causes the green colour in bruises.

But Pistachio’s peculiar hue won’t last forever. The bright shade he was born with has faded day by day and will continue to do so as he grows older.

While his brothers and sisters will be given away to new homes, Mr Mallocci will keep Pistachio on his farm and train him up to look after the sheep with his mother Spelacchia (Italian for “mangy”).

Mr Mallocci said that during these tough times of the pandemic, green is the symbol of hope and luck, so maybe Pistachio was born to put a smile on people’s faces.