Drunk Raccoon Found in Virginia Liquor Store

A liquor store worker in Virginia stumbled upon a rather unexpected scene when he discovered a drunken raccoon passed out in the bathroom after indulging in some alcohol.

The Hanover County Animal Shelter confirmed that this “masked bandit” had rummaged through the aisles of the Ashland ABC store, sampling various types of alcohol before finally collapsing in the restroom. The raccoon was later taken to a shelter to recover before being returned to the wild.

“Officer Martin managed to secure our little thief and brought him back to the shelter to sober up before any questioning,” the shelter noted in a Facebook update. “After a few hours of rest and seemingly no injuries—other than maybe a hangover and some questionable life choices—he was released back into his natural habitat. We trust he’s learned that breaking in isn’t the best route to take,” they added with a nod to Officer Martin for handling the situation with both skill and humor.

Images circulating online displayed several bottles strewn across the floor of the store alongside the inebriated raccoon near the restroom.

This isn’t an isolated incident. Back in 2019, a similar event occurred in Ottawa, Canada, where locals reported multiple raccoons wandering around in broad daylight. Concerned citizens called the police, fearing something was amiss when one raccoon struggled to stand. It turned out these ordinarily nocturnal animals had indulged too much in fermented crabapples, leading to their drunken antics.