An employee at a liquor store in Ashland, Virginia, got the shock of their life on Saturday, 29 November 2025, when they arrived to find a scene of minor devastation and an extremely unusual culprit.
A Wild Night In
The worker discovered smashed whisky bottles scattered across the floor. Following the trail of evidence, they entered the bathroom to find the apparent perpetrator: a raccoon, passed out and spread-eagled, seemingly sleeping off a serious hangover. The animal, described as a 'masked bandit', had clearly indulged a little too much after breaking into the shop.
Samantha Martin, a local animal control officer, told the Daily Mail that the raccoon had fallen through a ceiling tile before going on a "full-blown rampage, drinking everything." The Hanover County Animal Protection and Shelter later confirmed the animal was indeed intoxicated but had sobered up after a few hours of monitored rest.
Release Back to the Wild
Thankfully, the raccoon's adventure ended without serious injury. The shelter agency issued a statement noting, "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." Photographs from the store showed the aftermath of the creature's wild Friday night.
The Rise of Urban Raccoons
This incident highlights the remarkable adaptability of raccoons to human environments. A recent scientific study found that raccoons living in urban areas are showing physical changes resembling early signs of domestication, including shorter snouts, smaller teeth, and curlier tails compared to their wild counterparts.
Their success is largely down to their ability to thrive on human refuse. Dr Raffaela Lesch, an assistant professor of biology at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, recently told the Guardian, "Wherever humans go, there is trash. Animals love our trash. It’s an easy source of food."
In some cities, like Toronto, Canada, raccoon populations have become so significant they are part of local culture, even inspiring popular merchandise. This Virginia incident serves as a humorous but pointed reminder of the close, and sometimes messy, coexistence between humans and urban wildlife.
