When a Virginia liquor store employee showed up to work on Saturday, they were shocked to find shattered whiskey bottles strewn across the shop floor, shards of glass soaking in puddles of booze and an unlikely suspect: an intoxicated raccoon, splayed on its stomach in the bathroom.
Samantha Martin, an officer who works at the local animal control in Ashland, Va., having determined the U.S. Thanksgiving break-in was not the work of a human, said after falling through the ceiling, the little critter threw caution to the wind and drank itself silly, knocking bottles off the shelves before stumbling into a toilet stall and passing out.
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In this photo provided by Samantha Martin, a drunk raccoon is seen passed out in a liquor bathroom on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, in Ashland, Va. (Samantha Martin/Hanover County Protection via AP).
Samantha Martin/Hanover County Protection via AP
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In this photo provided by Samantha Martin, broken bottles are seen after a raccoon enters a liquor store on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, in Ashland, Va. (Samantha Martin/Hanover County Protection via AP).
Samantha Martin/Hanover County Protection via AP
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Martin said she brought the raccoon to the animal shelter, noting she had her fair share of giggles along the way.
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For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.“Another day in the life of an animal control officer, I guess,” she said.
The Hanover County Animal Protection and Shelter commended Martin for handling the break-in and confirmed the raccoon had sobered up.
“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 agency said.
Raccoons are well-adapted to living in urban areas, and a recent study found physical changes that indicate early signs of domestication, including shorter snout lengths, smaller teeth, curlier tails, smaller brains and floppier ears.
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