A Dog in Raccoon’s Clothing: Fur from Chinese Raccoon Dogs Creates Confusion
Raccoon DOGS Are Seen In A Cage in Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo
Is It A Raccoon Or Is It A Dog?
The most widely mislabeled fur exported from China comes from a stubby legged, farmed animal that has the facial markings of a raccoon. Though it’s been labelled Gae-wolf, Asian jackal, China wolf and Asian wolf, it is most commonly called raccoon dog — and it has the potential to confuse retailers and consumers more than any other fur.
Animal rights activists know they can get an emotional response from consumers by emphasizing that it comes from the dog family. But retailers would rather call it raccoon, to soothe the concerns of squeamish shoppers.
It’s a matter of degrees, says one expert.
Judith Eger, senior curator of mammals for the Royal Ontario Museum’s natural history department, says “the animal rights people are more correct than the retailers.”
Cradling a stuffed version of the widely farmed Asian raccoon dog, Eger confirms the animal is a species of wild dog.
“The raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) is a member of the dog family, the Cadinae, one of 13 families of the order Carnivora,” she says.
The Canidae family, which is found around the world, includes domestic dogs, wolves, coyotes and several other kinds of wild dogs, including the African hunting dog and, of course, the raccoon dog, explains Eger.
All the species in this family have teeth designed for eating flesh, she says.
The raccoon (Procyon lotor), on the other hand, belongs to the family Procyonidae, which is also in the order Carnivora. This family is restricted to South America, Central America and North America.
“Because of their omnivorous diet, procyonids have lost some of the adaptations for flesh eating found in carnivorous relatives,” says Eger.
Considering Eger’s divide, it is safe to assume that any fur garment exported from China that’s labelled raccoon is most likely raccoon dog.
Published on Saturday June 30, 2012
Source: The Star
Protection 4 Animals – STOP FUR TRADE
Protection 4 Animals supports the total banning of the Fur Trade. Currently while officially Dog and Cat Fur is banned in many countries, this does not apply to the Raccoon Dogs being Skinned Alive for their Fur.
Make no mistake this is a Barbaric process carried out by Brutal Chinese workers, that Beat the Dogs with Iron Bars, Kick Stomp, Slam them against concrete walls/floors to stop them struggling.
Then the Fur is Slowly Torn from their bodies in the most agonising and sickening way. They are then thrown to one side where they suffer the most horrendous deaths, that can last up to 3 hours.
Please Sign Our Petition To Stop Raccoon Dogs Being Skinned Alive and Suffering a Slow, Sickening, Horrendous Deaths. Click Here To Sign Our Petition These poor animals need your support, tell all your friends and family, thank you.
You can Email Protection 4 Animals – Stop Fur Trade by Clicking Here.
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