The potentially dangerous animal has been on the run for a month and could have traveled up to 13km on its own in the Welsh countryside, reports The Sun.

Families have been warned not to approach the omnivore after it disappeared on Monday by Natural Resources Wales, which said it had escaped from its home.

But he had already been in the wild for several weeks. The only confirmed sighting so far was last month in Coelbren, Powys.

Warning leaflets were distributed to residents. Natural Resources Wales said: “Raccoon dogs will naturally range further in the wild and can therefore be seen from over 13km away.

“They are small, nocturnal, fox-sized animals native to East Asia that resemble raccoons.

“Their diet includes fruits, insects, rodents, frogs, birds and eggs, which can negatively impact native wildlife.

“If you believe you have spotted one (dead or alive), or know where it may have escaped from, please report it as soon as possible.

“As with any wild animal, their behavior can be unpredictable and should not be approached.”

Extremely smelly wild fox-like creatures are the size of an average dog. They may bite if they feel threatened by humans and have been known to terrorize people before. In July 2020 one was captured and destroyed in Carmarthenshire.

And in May 2019, villagers in Clarborough, Nottinghamshire, said they were besieged by two of the animals, who let out a “bloody cry”.

It is legal to keep raccoon dogs as pets, but the RSPCA advises against it. It became illegal to sell the animal in February 2019 because it poses a risk to native species in Europe.

It is also illegal to breed them.

An RSPCA spokesperson said: “Raccoon dogs are not pets. They need a lot of space and their needs simply cannot be met in a typical household. They are also extremely smelly, as they use scent to communicate with each other.

This article was originally published by The Sun and reproduced with permission