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Journalism of Courage
A raccoon managed to enter a liquor store in Virginia, USA, and helped itself to alcohol, leading to a chaotic situation. The incident came to light on November 28, Black Friday, when a store employee arrived to find the animal passed out “face down” after what appeared to be a “liquor-fueled rampage.”
Hanover County Animal Protection and Shelter shared a post on Facebook, informing that the raccoon had left behind a trail of destruction, including broken bottles, toppled boxes, and messy shelves, before blacking out. A store spokesperson estimated that 14 bottles of spirits, worth around $250, were damaged.
However, there was no major structural harm, and the store reopened soon after cleanup, the report said.
Samantha Martin, an officer at the shelter who responded to the call, said she has a soft spot for the species. “I personally like raccoons. They are funny little critters. He fell through one of the ceiling tiles and went on a full-blown rampage, drinking everything,” the Associated Press (AP) quoted Martin as saying.
After a few hours of rest and no signs of injury “other than maybe a hangover and poor life choices,” the animal was released back into the wild, “hopefully having learned that breaking is not the answer,” officials wrote.
Viral photos shared by AP show the raccoon asleep next to a garbage can and a toilet, while another picture captures a store aisle with shattered liquor bottles.
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The post quickly circulated across all social media platforms, sparking a wave of reactions. “Now we know why Target puts everything behind glass doors…it’s the raccoons,” a user wrote. “Who hasn’t ransacked a liquor store, gotten drunk silly, passed out by the toilet, and then spent a night in the drunk tank? Brings back so many personal memories for me of the early ’00s,” another user commented.
“At least he made it to the bathroom. Most people can’t even do that,” a third user posted.
