Overview
- The Ashland, Va., incident on Nov. 29 involved a raccoon breaking into a Virginia ABC store, drinking from multiple bottles and passing out in the bathroom before animal control released it back to the wild.
- Virginia ABC published three themed recipes—the Rye Rascal Sour, Trash Panda Old Fashioned and Midnight Masked Gin Fizz—on its website for fans to make at home.
- The authority also shared full surveillance footage showing the raccoon knocking over and sampling liquor before it was found unconscious.
- Hanover County Animal Protection & Shelter’s “Trashed Panda” T-shirts and related merch are raising around $100,000 to support training, equipment and animal care.
- The story’s reach now includes promotional art from Spirited Virginia tied to Repeal Day and an on-air impersonation by SNL’s Sarah Sherman.