The Raccoon Strikes Back! PETA Unveils Limited-Edition Erling Haaland Halloween Costume

For Immediate Release:
August 10, 2026

Contact:
Nicole Perreira 202-483-7382

Following the viral image of Norwegian soccer star Erling Haaland carrying a taxidermized raccoon he purchased in Dallas, PETA is letting the raccoon get the last laugh—and reminding everyone that wild animals belong in nature, not on display—with a new limited-edition “The Raccoon Strikes Back” Halloween costume. Available now for preorder in the PETA Shop, the costume includes a Viking helmet, a soccer jersey, and an Erling Haaland mask featuring a raccoon lopping off the Manchester City striker’s famous man bun. All proceeds will benefit PETA’s lifesaving work.

“Haaland may be a terror for goalkeepers, but PETA’s tongue-in-cheek costume is a reminder not to be one for animals, too,” says PETA Founder Ingrid Newkirk. “Raccoons are feeling individuals, not décor, and this Halloween, animal defenders can score one for wildlife and encourage everyone to send tasteless taxidermy packing.”

Raccoons are highly intelligent and curious animals known for solving puzzles simply for the challenge. Mother raccoons devote months to nurturing and protecting their young, teaching them the skills they’ll need to survive on their own. Raccoons and other wild animals who end up with a taxidermist—including those killed by hunters—often suffer violent deaths before they’re gutted, stuffed, and treated with chemicals for display.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—points out that when it comes to the ability to feel pain, hunger, and thirst, a raccoon is a dog is a boy. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.