A Raccoon's Wild Night Out

In a bizarre turn of events, a raccoon decided to throw itself a party at a Virginia liquor store. The little critter broke in, helped itself to some drinks, and then passed out in the bathroom. Staff at the Ashland ABC store found the mess on Saturday morning. They discovered smashed bottles and spilled liquor, with scotch being the raccoon's drink of choice. The raccoon, now known as the "masked bandit, " was found snoring between the toilet and a bin. Animal control officer Samantha Martin was called to the scene. She took the raccoon back to the shelter to sober up. After a few hours of sleep, the raccoon was released back into the wild, none the wiser. The break-in happened on Thanksgiving when the store was closed. The raccoon managed to fall through a ceiling tile and then went on a drinking spree. Only one blurry CCTV image captured the raccoon's wild night. It's unclear how much alcohol the raccoon consumed before passing out. The store thanked the animal shelter for their help and provided the raccoon with a "sober ride home. " Officer Martin said it was just another day at work for her. This incident raises questions about wildlife and their interactions with human environments. It's a reminder that animals can sometimes find themselves in unusual situations.