Animal rights campaigners have filmed raccoon dogs being skinned alive in China in an attempt to raise awareness about the cruelty of the fake Ugg boot trade.
The horrific video shows the raccoon dogs — an Asian species related to foxes and jackals — being farmed in China so their fur can be used to make the counterfeit boots.
One dog can be seen being held to the ground by a foot before it is skinned alive and tossed onto a heap.
The bleeding, furless animal manages to look up at the camera before it is thrown away.
The video was uploaded to YouTube by animalwelfare1 and is associated with Swiss Animal Protection/EAST International.
Mark Jones, UK director of Humane Society International, said this treatment of the animals was unacceptable.
"The raccoon dogs routinely endure unspeakable suffering. They die a slow, agonising death, their bodies raw and bloody," he said.
"There is no UK ban on their fur so it's possible these phoney boots could enter the high street."
Genuine Australian Ugg boots can cost up to $320 in the UK but fake versions of the iconic boot are flooding the market.
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