A heavily intoxicated raccoon was taken into custody after it forced its way into a liquor store in Virginia on November 29 and tore through the shelves, authorities reported. The animal eventually passed out in the stores bathroom after consuming an unknown amount of alcohol.
An officer from Hanover County Animal Protection (HCAP) arrived at the Ashland liquor store early Saturday morning in response to a call. According to the agencys statement on Facebook, the raccoon had entered the building overnight and knocked numerous bottles of alcohol onto the floor.
When the officer located the animal, it was lying face down in the bathroom, clearly very intoxicated. Photos shared by HCAP show shattered bottles of gin, whiskey, and other spirits scattered along the aisles, as well as the raccoon sprawled out beside a toilet.
The raccoon was transported to a shelter, where it was allowed time to sober up. After several hours of rest and with no injuries detectedaside from what officials joked might be a hangoverit was released safely back into its natural habitat.
HCAP noted that they hope the mischievous creature learned that breaking and entering is not a wise choice. This is not the first instance of drunk raccoons making the news; in 2018, a group in West Virginia was initially believed to be rabid, but officials later determined the animals had become intoxicated from fermented crabapples.
