Rare green puppy 'Pistachio' born in Italy

This year has been an unpredictable one, to say the least.

But things got even stranger for Italian farmer Cristian Mallocci when his dog, Spelacchia, gave birth to a puppy with green fur.

The tiny pooch was immediately named Pistachio.

The puppy was part of a five-dog litter born at the farm on the Mediterranean island of Sardinia. Pistachio's brothers and sisters all had white fur, the same colour as their mother.

A dog born with green fur is very rare. It is believed to be a result of the puppy making contact with a green pigment called biliverdin while in the womb.

But - in what will come as sad news to many - Pistachio's colour has already started to fade, and will continue to do so.

Mr Mallocci has decided to give away all the puppies, apart from Pistachio, who will help him herd sheep on the farm.

Green is a colour of hope and luck, he added - something many of us could do with a little bit more of in 2020.