3 min read Meet The Animal Who Dies For Your Dumb Hat

This week, the internet lost its collective mind over Tun, a sweet raccoon dog rescued as an abandoned pup by a Japanese Twitter user.

9.8kgになったタヌキ。まだ柿の木には柿が残っている事から、来月位から断食メニューを組み込もうと思ってました。お試し的に夜食を抜いてみたら、朝食前からランチョンマット代わりのシーツの上に、お座りしているタヌキの先が思いやられます。 https://t.co/ZlxUp1n9LR — ことり (@chibi_tori)

One photo of Tun curling up to a space heater, for instance, racked up over 10,000 retweets by Tuesday afternoon.

焼き狸始めました。鼻先、耳、胸元を特に芳ばしく焼きあげております。 https://t.co/hF2r18J67s — ことり (@chibi_tori)

As the name suggests, raccoon dogs like Tun certainly resemble America's native trash bandits. However, the species is much more closely related to domestic dogs, a fact that pictures of the playful canine seem to bear out.

歯医者になった気分を味える画像を見ていてふっと思いました。あくびタヌキのマズルの先は真っ白なのに、ストレスMAX時(反省室)のマズルの先はピンク。楽しそうにしているタヌキのマズルも白。タヌキの感情は顔に出やすいようです。 http://t.co/xt7EfH08jw — ことり (@chibi_tori)

In November, that seemingly subtle difference turned into a major controversy for Canadian clothing maker Kit and Ace, who maintained that hats made out of the animals were "raccoon fur (not dog)."

Did you know this popular winter hat we all love is actually made of DOG? #fashion https://t.co/GTwUmEZgXS https://t.co/jKK12FQgWx — The Dodo (@dodo)

Even more alarmingly, major retailers like Macy's and Kohl's havebeencaught selling products made out of raccoon dogs as "faux fur" in the past. While clothing companies can claim that they're raccoons and not dogs, it's hard to argue that the millions of animals like Tun killed for their fur each year are "fake."

今日もネタがないのでタヌおやつ。最近マイブームの紫芋と、ゴミ箱漁りたいぐらいタヌブームの胡桃。季節柄木の実が食べたいのかな。このぐらいの大きさに切って与えると、一口で食べてくれるようです。胡桃は掃除が面倒なので殻を外して与えています https://t.co/BsmMhuQO5Y — ことり (@chibi_tori)

In the United States and many other Western countries, such deceptions are a violation of the law, but in Canada no such labeling requirements exist. Vancouver politician Don Davies hopes to change that, sponsoring a petition this month to regulate fur sales in Canada. If you live in Canada, click here to sign Davies' petition. Or, to learn more about the fur industry, visit the Humane Society of the United States' website here. If they knew about anything other than napping and getting fed, the Tuns of the world would surely appreciate it.