The raccoon dog has become established in the Netherlands and research is underway to find out if they pose a threat to health or Dutch nature, junior economic affairs minister Sharon Dijksma told MPs on Thursday.

The raccoon dog, which originated in Asia, has been spreading over Europe since the 1950s. Raccoon dogs, which are members of the dog family, eat small rodents, birds, eggs, fish and plants.

The Dutch food safety body NVWA has been charged with establishing if the animals pose a threat to the Dutch environment, Dijksma said. Raccoon dogs have successfully bred in the Netherlands for two years in a row.

If the animal, which is bred in large quanties in China for its fur, is considered a problem, it will be placed on the official list of ‘unwanted exotics’. This means efforts can be made to eradicate it.