Originally from the Eastern Asia, raccoon dogs were introduced into eastern Europe as part the fur trade. Most raccoon dog fur farms are located in Finland and Poland. In 2019 the European Union added raccoon dogs to a list of invasive alien species of concern. Most raccoon dogs that live in the wild are the ones who escaped a fur farm or their offspring.
Raccoon dog fur production is not highly profitable itself, that’s why many farmers decide to breed them additionally to the main farm, which is usually of foxes.
Unfortunately, it is still possible to breed raccoon dogs for fur, but it became more difficult – the farmers must provide necessary documents to do so. Nevertheless, it is an important step towards a definite ban of breeding these animals for fur.
