The incident occurred at the Ashland ABC store in Hanover County, which had been closed for Thanksgiving. When employees arrived on Saturday, they were shocked to find signs of a break-in. The raccoon had fallen through the store’s ceiling tiles, knocking over liquor bottles in the process.
Among the destroyed bottles was scotch, which appeared to be the raccoon’s drink of choice. The scene, complete with liquor pooling on the floor and bottles smashed in various spots, left the staff startled by the unexpected and unusual break-in.
An Unlikely Burglar
This bizarre encounter unfolded when the Ashland ABC store, closed for Thanksgiving, was targeted by the raccoon. According to reports, the animal fell through the store’s ceiling tiles and wreaked havoc, knocking over bottles and drinking whatever it could reach. Staff discovered the aftermath the following morning when they came in to find smashed bottles and alcohol scattered across the floor. The raccoon, however, was nowhere to be seen.
When animal control arrived at the scene, they found the raccoon in the bathroom, passed out between a toilet and a bin, with no apparent injuries, only the effects of its alcohol binge.
“He fell through one of the ceiling tiles and went on a full-blown rampage, drinking everything,” explained Samantha Martin, an animal control officer with Hanover County Animal Protection and Shelter, in a statement to The Guardian.
The raccoon had evidently indulged in a drinking spree that left it unable to continue its night of chaos.
A Sober Return to the Wild
After a few hours of sleep, the raccoon was fully sober and showed no signs of injury other than perhaps a “hangover.” It was transported to the Hanover County Animal Protection and Shelter, where it was given time to recover. According to local authorities, after its brief detention and recovery, the raccoon was safely released back into its natural habitat. The incident sparked lighthearted social media posts from the store, thanking the animal shelter for its “professionalism” and for providing the raccoon with a “sober ride home.”
This unusual break-in, happening over the Black Friday weekend, caught the attention of many on social media. The Ashland ABC store itself thanked the animal control officers for their quick response, even making light of the situation in their posts. “Just another day in the life of an animal control officer,” Martin remarked, emphasizing the unexpected nature of the call-out.
Raccoons and Urban Environments
Raccoons are increasingly known for their adaptability to urban life, often rummaging through trash and occasionally finding their way into businesses or homes. Recent studies have shown that raccoons have developed physical traits resembling domesticated animals, including shorter snouts and smaller brains, due to their constant interaction with human environments. In fact, raccoons are notorious for foraging in areas where humans live, as they take advantage of food scraps and other accessible resources.
This particular raccoon, however, went beyond rummaging through trash to pilfering an entire liquor store. While alcohol consumption is not uncommon in the animal kingdom, with animals in the wild often ingesting fermented fruits or nectar, a break-in of this nature remains rare. Nevertheless, other similar incidents have been reported, such as a feral pig in Australia that drank an entire pack of beer or a bear in Turkey intoxicated by “mad honey.”
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