Missing 'Arctic fox' in Fleetwood turns out to be an exotic raccoon dog named Luna

Fleetwood Police first issued an appeal for the animal on Tuesday and it was reported to be allegedly an 'Arctic fox' with people being warned that if they saw the animal to not approach it.

It has now been revealed by officers that it's a white raccoon dog, also known as a Japanese tanuki, which is classed as an exotic animal.

Luna escaped from an address on Radcliffe Road in Fleetwood on Monday, October 27 at around 7pm.

PCSO Sarah Didsbury, of Fleetwood Neighbourhood Policing Team, said Luna will be 'guided by scent' and warned people not to approach the dog, due to her being nervous.

PCSO Didsbury said: "Luna is a much loved pet and we are keen to reunite with her with her family. She is white in colour, no bigger than a cocker spaniel, short narrow snout with a large black nose and rounded ears, she does not have a collar on.

"She will be nervous of people and we advise not to approach her, instead report any sightings to the Police by calling 101 and quoting log number LC-20201028-0419, alternatively you can call Wyre Council Environment Team.

"Luna is most likely to be guided by scent to locate food which could include chicken coops and hutches, as well as pet food that is left outside for pets may be a target for her."

Police said there was a potential sighting of Luna at around 10pm on the day she went missing in the Harbour Village area, off Amounderness Way.

According to the RSPCA, raccoon dogs are native to the forests of eastern Siberia, northern China, North Vietnam, Korea, and Japan and are now widespread in some European countries, having been accidentally released, or having escaped.

A spokesman for the animal charity said that they are not suited to life as a pet in a domestic environment and strongly discourage people from buying or keeping one as a pet.

The spokesman added: "They're much more difficult to look after properly than some people may realise. There are also strict legal restrictions on keeping, selling, rehoming and breeding raccoon dogs as they threaten our native wildlife.

"Raccoon dogs are wild animals, rather than domesticated pets. They need a great deal of space and their needs simply cannot be met in a typical household. They're also extremely smelly, as they use scent to communicate with one another, which is not the best quality in a house pet."

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