A raccoon found "dead drunk" after running rampage through a Virginia liquor store is suspected of at least two other previous "burglary"s, local animal protection officials said.
Footage of broken bottles and a raccoon lying on the floor next to a toilet went viral last week, but animal welfare officer Samantha Martin, who found it, told Sky News reporters that the animal was in great shape.
"This is not the first time he has entered one of the buildings... This is his third break-in," she said, adding that he "was also in the karate studio, as well as the Department of Motor Vehicles building," where, she recounted, he ate snacks left on tables by workers.
Martin added that this "smart little creature" was 'removed' from the aforementioned businesses both times, both of which are located in the same complex that houses the ABC liquor store in Ashland.
"Every time we get him out of there, he comes back again. We don't move him anywhere else, because that's often a death sentence for raccoons, but somehow he always finds his way back," she told a local podcast.
At the beginning of the month, a raccoon broke into a closed liquor store during the night, smashed whiskey bottles on the bottom shelves, and was found "dead drunk" on the bathroom floor the next morning.
After a few hours of sleep, the raccoon was released back into the wild without any injuries, other than a "potential hangover," and the animal protection organization said they hoped it understood that "breaking in is not the answer."
Raccoons are known for scavenging in garbage cans. They are common in Virginia and can often be found in forests, parks, and sometimes even in cities.
Photo: EPA/CLEMENS BILAN
