Raccoon goes on drunken rampage in Virginia liquor store before passing out on bathroom floor

An incident in the Ashland area of Virginia went viral after a raccoon broke into a closed liquor store and caused extensive damage before passing out on the bathroom floor.

The animal entered the shop early on Saturday and headed straight for the bottom shelf, where bottles of scotch and whisky were stored. Several bottles were smashed, alcohol pooled across the floor and a ceiling tile had collapsed by the time staff arrived.

When an employee opened the store on Saturday morning, the animal was discovered unconscious in the bathroom at the end of what appeared to be a night of drinking. Samantha Martin, an officer with the local animal control team, responded to the call and described the situation as unusual but humorous.

 “I personally like raccoons,” she said. “They are funny little critters. He fell through one of the ceiling tiles and went on a full-blown rampage, drinking everything.”

Martin transported the raccoon to the animal shelter, noting that she shared “a fair share of giggles” during the process. “Another day in the life of an animal control officer, I guess,” she added, reflecting on the incident.

The Hanover County Animal Protection and Shelter later praised Martin for managing the break-in and confirmed that the raccoon had fully recovered.

According to the agency, the animal showed “zero signs of injury (other than maybe a hangover and poor life choices)” after several hours of rest. It was subsequently released back into the wild with the hope that it had “learned that breaking and entering is not the answer.”