Golden retriever gives birth to rare green puppy in Scotland

July 20 (UPI) -- A dog owner in Scotland shared photos of her golden retriever with her litter of puppies, one of which stands out for its rare green coloration.

Louise Sutherland said her family was shocked when Rio, their 3-year-old golden retriever, gave birth to a litter that included a green puppy, which they dubbed Forest.

The puppy's eight siblings were born with more typical golden fur, she said.

Sutherland said most of the litter will be going to new homes, but her family has decided to keep Forest for themselves.

A Spanish breeder reported in 2014 that a litter of hunting dogs included two puppies born with green fur. One of the puppies did not survive, and the other's green fur eventually faded in favor of more normal coloration.

The cause of the condition was determined to be exposure to biliverdin, a green bile pigment found in the placenta.