Drunk raccoon who passed out after viral Virginia liquor store rampage helped raise $290K for animal shelter

A raccoon that raided a Virginia liquor store and was found asleep beside a toilet has helped raise more than $290,000 for Hanover County’s animal shelter. The money comes from merchandise featuring the animal and the slogan “trashed panda”, turning a viral incident into funding for animal protection work.

The raccoon sampled 14 bottles of alcohol at an Ashland ABC Store last December before being taken to the shelter to sober up and later released. Merchandise sales have brought in more than 14 times the shelter’s usual annual donations of under $20,000. The county will use some of the proceeds to buy body cameras for its eight animal protection officers, who are due to start using them in January, and is considering an emergency fund for injured animals.