A raccoon robs a liquor store and passes out drunk.
A raccoon ransacked a Virginia liquor store and passed out drunk on the bathroom floor.
A product inspired by a drunken raccoon is helping raise money for a Virginia animal shelter.
The Hanover County Animal Shelter in Hanover, Virginia, raised more than $156,000 on Dec. 8 for merchandise depicting a dazed raccoon “splattering” next to a spilled alcohol bottle. The product is called “Trashed Panda.”
The “Trashed Panda” shirts, hoodies and travel mugs pay homage to the raccoon that went viral over Thanksgiving weekend after breaking into a Virginia liquor store, drinking what it could with its paws, and then passing out in the bathroom.
“We are truly amazed,” the Hanover County Animal Shelter said in a Dec. 5 Facebook post. “Your support not only gives us a good laugh, but also helps directly fund the training, equipment, and shelter needs of our animals and the staff who care for them. We couldn’t do this without you.”
How to buy Drunk Raccoon or “Abandoned Panda” merchandise
“Trashed Panda” goods can be purchased on the fundraising site “Bonfire” until December 8th. Classic T-shirts are $25, hoodies are $42, stickers are $5, and travel tumblers are $36. Bonfire says orders are expected to be delivered by December 31st.
A drunk raccoon also created a new cocktail.
Raccoons were also the inspiration for three cocktails created by the Virginia Board of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC), the government agency that operates raccoon-infested establishments.
Cocktails include the Rye Rascal Sour, Midnight Masked Gin Fizz, and Trash Panda Old Fashioned. Drink recipes are available on the Virginia ABC website.
What happened to the drunk raccoon?
The creature invaded the Virginia ABC Store in Ashland, Virginia, on November 29th. Once inside the store, the raccoon broke through the ceiling tiles and “started really rampaging and swallowed everything,” animal protection officer Samantha Martin told The Associated Press.
Photos from the scene show various bottles, including some that were shattered and scattered across store aisles. Another photo shows the suspect lying on the floor of the store’s bathroom, apparently unconscious.
Hanover County Animal Rescue said in a statement that the raccoon was safely captured and released back into the wild.
Greta Cross is USA TODAY’s national trends reporter. Story ideas? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.
Melina Khan is USA TODAY’s national trends reporter. Contact her at melina.khan@usatoday.com.
