Authorities say a raccoon crashed through a tile, destroyed inventory and was released after sobering up.
ASHLAND, Va. — An Ashland state-run liquor store had an uninvited guest before sunrise Saturday when a raccoon fell through the ceiling, toppled shelves and then passed out in the restroom, prompting an animal control response and a midday cleanup that let the store reopen.
The incident matters because it combined a retail break-in, a minor loss of goods and a public safety call that ended without injuries. Hanover County Animal Protection and Shelter handled the capture, and Virginia ABC confirmed the financial hit — 14 bottles destroyed, about $250 — and the lack of structural damage. The animal’s release and swift reopening kept the disruption limited, even as images of the scene sped across social media and drew national attention to the small town north of Richmond.
Store staff arriving for the day found glass, leaking bottles and a gash in a ceiling tile near the spirits aisle. They contacted authorities at once. Officer Samantha Martin with the county’s animal protection unit entered at about midmorning, followed a slick trail toward the back of the store and discovered a raccoon lying next to the base of the toilet. “We transported him to the shelter to sleep it off,” the agency said later in a lighthearted note. Workers cordoned off the restroom, collected shards and moved remaining inventory away from wet flooring while an industrial fan pushed air through the space. The store’s alarm logs also showed an overnight power blip, which employees said likely came as the animal jostled the security system.
Virginia ABC later reviewed cameras and the drop point above one aisle, staff said. The agency confirmed that the location resumed sales after crews finished mopping and removing debris. No contaminated stock remained on open shelves, and no customers reported injuries. The raccoon, described by responders as “very intoxicated,” showed steady breathing and no signs of trauma. After several hours at the shelter, the animal stood, walked and was released in a wooded area outside town. The shelter credited Martin’s “professionalism and good humor” and noted that officers more often respond to loose dogs, trapped cats and injured deer than to an animal insistent on sampling spirits.
Raccoons are adept climbers and scavengers, and they frequent alleys and dumpster areas behind restaurants and shops. In college towns and suburbs alike, officers say they occasionally enter attic spaces through soffits or vents. Once inside, a dislodged tile can drop an animal onto sales floors. Comparable incidents have involved bears raiding convenience stores and birds flying into supermarkets, but liquor stores see fewer cases because product odors are sealed. Here, responders said the smell of freshly broken bottles likely drew the animal down the aisles and into the bathroom, where the tile floor was cooler and the door partially closed.
Officials said there is no criminal case — wild animals are not cited — and paperwork is limited to internal reports for property and inventory. Insurance for the state retailer typically covers product loss above a threshold; in this instance, the dollar figure was small. The store expects to replace glass and a ceiling panel this week, according to staff. The shelter’s incident notes will be archived with routine wildlife calls. No hearing or court date is expected. If additional maintenance arises, ABC will schedule it during off-hours to avoid further disruption.
Neighbors stopped to snap photos of the patched ceiling and traded jokes about a “holiday rush.” Genevieve, who lives nearby, laughed that at least the animal “made it to the bathroom.” A store employee said the cleanup was straightforward compared with major floods or freezer failures. “We swept, we mopped, we tossed the broken stock and moved on,” the worker said. For Martin, it was the sort of unpredictable call that punctuates ordinary shifts. “Just another day in animal protection,” the shelter added in its post, which drew hundreds of comments.
As of Wednesday, the store was operating on regular hours, and Virginia ABC staff planned a routine inventory check later this week. The shelter reported no repeat sightings of the raccoon and no other wildlife calls at the address since the weekend.
Author note: Last updated December 3, 2025.