The intoxicated raccoon that went viral and inspired merchandise is likely a repeat offender that broke into multiple buildings in a Virginia county, including a karate studio, according to a local official.
Hanover County Animal Protection Officer Samantha Martin was interviewed on the county's "Hear In Hanover" podcast on Thursday, Dec. 11, to discuss the raccoon, which she discovered inside the bathroom of a Virginia ABC store in Ashland, Virginia, during the early morning hours on Nov. 29.
According to a Hanover County Animal Protection and Shelter statement, the animal was passed out intoxicated in the restroom. After securing the drunk raccoon and taking it to a shelter, the animal slept for a few hours, but there were no signs of injury, "other than maybe a hangover and poor life choices," the statement continued.
With the animal now released back into the wild, Martin discussed how this isn't the shelter officials' first run-in with the raccoon.
“This is not the first time he’s been in one of the buildings,” Martin said during the podcast interview, referring to the strip mall in which the ABC store is located. “Supposedly, this is the third break-in he’s had. He was in the karate studio – I think he got into the DMV (and) ate some of their snacks one time.”
