A girl has been granted a unique licence to own a unicorn. Should she be lucky enough to find a unicorn, she will have official permission to take it as a pet - as long as she abides by a number of conditions.
The girl, whose name is Madeline, wrote to authorities where she lives in Los Angeles County, California last month. The letter read: “Dear LA County, I would like your approval if I can have a unicorn in my backyard if I can find one.”
And now she has received her official permit from the county's department of animal care and control. The licence states that the mythical creature must be provided ample exposure to sunlight, moonbeams and rainbows.
It must also have its horn polished at least once a month with a soft cloth. Department director Marcia Mayeda sent the girl a heart-shaped, rose-coloured metal tag with “Permanent Unicorn License” emblazoned on it, along with a white fuzzy unicorn doll with pink ears, purple hooves and a silver horn.
She commended the girl for her “sense of responsible pet ownership to seek permission in advance” and for thoughtfully considering “the requirements of providing a loving home to animals”. The agency posted images of the correspondence, the licence, the medallion and the stuffed toy on its social media accounts, with the girl’s last name obscured.
Its five conditions for unicorn ownership also require that any sparkles or glitter sprinkled on the animal be non-toxic and biodegradable, and that it be fed watermelon at least once a week.
