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A girl not only got this plush unicorn from the Department of Animal Care and Control - but also permission to keep the mythical creatures
Photo: Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control/AP
Dog, cat or rabbit: it is nothing special for children to want pets.
But a girl from the USA would like to have a four-legged friend that is a little more unusual - and has had an official permit issued for it: Madeline received a "permanent unicorn license" from an authority in Los Angeles County.
However, there is still a small catch: You first have to find the mythical creature in the real world.
The Office for Animal Care and Control published the correspondence, which was probably not meant to be taken seriously (at least by the authorities).
The whole thing started with a letter from Madeline, in which she wrote: "Dear LA County, I would like your approval that I can have a unicorn in my garden if I find one."
In response, Madeline received a formal letter, a heart-shaped plaque and a plush unicorn.
The agency praised Madeline for thinking about "responsible pet ownership" beforehand.
However, the unicorn attitude is subject to a few conditions.
It needs to be exposed to plenty of sunlight, moonbeams, and rainbows, and fed watermelon at least once a week.
In addition, any glitter used for the mythical creature must be non-toxic and biodegradable.
bbr/dpa