What happened to the racoon that broke into a Virginia liquor store after being found passed out in the bathroom?
Workers found the raccoon amid broken bottles and booze puddles, leading to a rescue, a long nap and a safe return to the wild.


Heard the one about the raccoon that broke into a liquor store, got drunk and passed out on the bathroom floor? No, it’s not a made-up joke from a twisted individual with an overactive imagination; it actually happened in Virginia over the weekend. Luckily, we now know the raccoon has sobered up, although we can’t be sure how bad the hangover was.
A messy surprise for the morning shift
On Saturday morning, the employee who opened the store in Ashland, Virginia found smashed bottles strewn across the floor and had to step over, then mop up, puddles of alcohol, specifically scotch and whiskey.
This was no normal break-in. The employee soon found the raccoon out for the count on the bathroom floor, having presumably licked up the booze from the bottom-shelf bottles it had broken.
Animal control called in
Samantha Martin, who works at local animal control, said she received a call to take the raccoon to an animal shelter, which she did while trying to contain her laughter. “Another day in the life of an animal control officer, I guess,” she told AP.
A happy ending, sort of
Thankfully, the story wrapped up well for the raccoon and for animal lovers. The Hanover County Animal Protection and Shelter issued an update, assuring everyone the surprise burglar eventually scampered away with its tail between its legs.
“After a few hours of sleep and zero signs of injury (other than maybe a hangover and poor life choices), he was safely released back to the wild, hopefully having learned that breaking and entering is not the answer,” the organization said.
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