Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter
April 23 (UPI) — A golden retriever puppy quickly gained fame online when she was born a color far different from the breed’s golden reputation: lime green.
Carole DeBruler, owner of Florida’s Golden Treasures Kennel, posted videos of the puppy, named Shamrock, to TikTok, where the cute canine quickly developed a following.
Shamrock was born lime green — appropriate for a dog born in the “Key Lime State” — while the rest of her siblings were the expected golden hue.
The unusual color is the result of the puppy’s fur being dyed by biliverdin, a green bile sometimes found in the wombs of mother dogs.
The phenomenon has been documented before, and isn’t limited to golden retrievers — a Nova Scotia couple’s bulldog puppy was born the same color in 2022.
DeBruler said Shamrock’s green color has started to fade, and she will likely be the breed’s normal yellow color within a few weeks.
