The present invention relates to a device and method for improving felting properties of animal fibres by plasma treatment. The invention disclosed here includes a dielectric barrier discharge plasma source, preferably a diffuse coplanar surface dielectric barrier discharge plasma source with at least two systems of electrically conductive electrodes (2) and (3) that are situated inside of the dielectric body (4) and are situated on the same side of the layer (1) pelt of the loose animal fibres or the fur-bearing side of the animal layer (1) pelt affected by the plasma layer (5) generated above the portion of the surface (6) of the dielectric body (4). The present invention relates also to a method for improving felting properties of animal fibres, which method consists of affecting such animal fibres with electrical plasma generated at the gas pressure from 1 kPa to 500 kPa with the plasma process gas containing oxygen and/or water vapor.