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The owner of two raccoon dogs is hoping for the safe return of his animals — which he argues aren't the menacing creatures some are making them out to be.
One of the two escaped creatures was seen terrorizing residents and their pets in the U.K. village of Clarborough in Nottinghamshire earlier this week, SWNS reported.
However, the owner of the raccoon dogs told the BBC he “just wants them back safe.”
‘CRAZY’ RACCOON DOG TERRORIZES VILLAGERS
"They have escaped and that is my mistake but it's important people don't think these animals are especially dangerous," the owner, who wished to remain anonymous, told the news station.
He said the animals only eat insects, small animals and berries.
The owner of two escaped raccoon dogs told the BBC he “just wants them back safe.” He said: "They have escaped and that is my mistake but it's important people don't think these animals are especially dangerous." (SWNS)
"To be honest I am worried as the female has not been seen and if something has happened to her, this may have made the male more scared and nervous," he added.
According to the outlet, the raccoon dogs dug themselves out of their pen early Tuesday morning.
Later that morning, villager Mandy Marsh was woken by a “blood-curdling scream” and her husband Dale ran outside to see one of the raccoon dogs confronting the couple’s pet goat and pony.
"This raccoon was absolutely crazy. It was hissing and screaming and snarling,” she told SWNS. “It was going absolutely mad.”
Armed with planks of wood, it took the couple two hours to chase the angry raccoon dog away, although their pet goat was left with a sore shoulder and scratches following the animal’s attack.
After the raccoon dogs dug themselves out of their pen on Tuesday morning, Mandy Marsh (pictured) awoke to find one of them confronting her pet pony and goat (pictured). (SWNS)
The raccoon dog returned moments later to confront a dog walker outside the March’s home, according to SWNS.
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The owner told the BBC he has “been up through the night” searching for them. So far, cages and cameras have reportedly not worked, but he suggested to the outlet that a “thermal imaging drone” would be the fastest way to find them.
Nottinghamshire police warned local residents to be vigilant.
“The animals, which are described as being the same size of a medium-to-small-sized dog, are potentially dangerous if approached, as they are not domesticated,” officials added, in a statement.
Marsh told SWNS a local wildlife tracker offered to help track the raccoon dogs and had told her something had been attacking local animals recently.
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Raccoon dogs are not raccoons — but are members of the canid, or dog family, according to the U.K.’s Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA). They are related to foxes and wolves.
“Raccoon dogs are wild animals — rather than domesticated pets,” the RSPCA explains on its website, noting the animals pose “a highly invasive risk” to native species in Europe.
Fox News’ James Rogers contributed to this report.
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