On Black Friday this year, a Virginia liquor store reported a break-in. The culprit? A wild raccoon who ransacked the shelves and was later found passed out in the bathroom.
Animal control officials arrived on the scene and transported the masked mammal to a wildlife shelter. He caught up on some sleep and had no signs of injury, “other than maybe a hangover and poor life choices,” according to a statement from Hanover County Animal Protection and Shelter.
Virginia ABC, which runs the store, issued a statement thanking the animal protection officers for giving the bandit a “sober ride home.”
In the aftermath of the raccoon’s big night out, a photo circulated online, showing him, butt-up, next to a toilet, and oblivious to the world.
An immediate internet sensation, Hanover County Animal Protection and Shelter did what anyone would do: designed T-shirts.
A merchandise line — featuring an artistic depiction of the raccoon next to a bottle of liquor, and the phrase “trashed panda,” — has now raised over $252,000 for the animal shelter.
Over 19,000 supporters have purchased T-shirts, sweatshirts, stickers, and mugs, according to the campaign.
“We are absolutely blown away,” the Hanover County Animal Protection & Shelter shared in a social media post last week.
“Your support doesn’t just give us a great laugh … it directly helps fund training, equipment, and shelter needs for our animals and the officers who protect them. We couldn’t do this without you.”
Calling the stray animal an “unexpected raccoon celebrity,” the shelter emphasized that its “officers handle hundreds of calls each year involving wildlife, stray animals, and emergencies requiring specialized training and equipment.”
In fact, the officer on the scene of the raccoon’s crime — Samantha Martin — said that this particular critter is a repeat offender and has been at the scene of at least two other break-ins, including a karate studio and a department of motor vehicles on the same block as the liquor store.
“This is not the first time he's been in one of the buildings,” Martin told Hanover County’s Hear In Hanover podcast. “He’s a smart little critter.”
Once he was safe in the care of the shelter, Martin made sure no humans came in contact with him, so he wouldn’t have to undergo any additional veterinary care or rabies testing. Once he was all set to go, Martin released him back into his territory in the woods.
“We need him back into the wild because he didn’t do anything wrong. He was just having a good time,” Martin said. “He just looked back at me and then he just walked off and I was like, ‘See you, fella.’”
While it’s unclear what the raccoon’s future evening escapades might entail, his story will live on through the new merchandise collection — and in the generosity of donors supporting the animal protection agency.
The shelter doesn’t only deal with wild critters, but also houses countless cats and dogs looking for their forever homes.
“We desperately need [the funds] because our shelter is extremely old and the county is growing like wildfire. We can’t keep up,” Martin said on the podcast. “We need more kennel space. We need a bigger well. We just need a bigger shelter for the size of the county.”
“Thank you to everyone who has shared their support, humor, and kindness over the past week,” a social media post from the shelter added. “We’re grateful for a community that can find joy in a unique moment and help turn it into something that benefits animals in need.”
You may also like: When you 'pet' dogs in this mobile game, you provide food and vet care to real-life shelter animals this holiday season
Header image courtesy of Hanover County Animal Protection and Shelter
