‘He was just having a good time’: Raccoon that passed out in liquor store reportedly broke into other places
(Gray News) - The raccoon that was found drunk and passed out in a Virginia liquor store on Nov. 29 has broken into other buildings in the area, according to a local official.
Hanover County Animal Protection Officer Samantha Martin said Thursday on the “Hear in Hanover” podcast that it was the raccoon’s third break-in.
“This is not the first time he’s been in one of the buildings ... He was in the karate studio. I think he got into the DMV, ate some of their snacks one time,” she said.
The businesses are all located in the same strip mall.
After the raccoon was removed from the liquor store, it was taken to the shelter, where it slept for a few hours in a dog kennel. Thankfully, it was not hurt “other than maybe a hangover and poor life choices,” the Hanover County Animal Protection and Shelter said in a statement.
In her interview, Martin said it was important to keep the raccoon isolated from shelter staff and volunteers because if it broke someone’s skin, even by accident, they would have had to perform a rabies test on the raccoon. She said a rabies test can only be done if the animal is euthanized.
“For his safety, I was dead set. Do not touch this animal. We need him back into the wild because he didn’t do anything wrong. He was just having a good time!” she said.
The raccoon was released back into the area around the strip mall because if the shelter relocated the raccoon, it would be “a death sentence.”
“I think people can see the human side of it, and everybody’s been there. Everybody’s had a few extra and passed out by the toilet and hoped somebody can come and help you the next morning,” Martin said.
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