TSA approves taxidermy raccoons. Photo: Kit Leong / Shutterstock.com After Norway's World Cup exit, Erling Haaland was photographed arriving back in Oslo carrying a taxidermied raccoon holding a whiskey bottle that he bought during the tournament in Dallas, Texas. The unusual souvenir quickly went viral after he joked on social media, "It followed me home."
The raccoon, known as the "Whiskey Raccoon," was purchased at a local store in Dallas for $750. Following the publicity, the store reportedly sold out of the item and even expanded international shipping due to demand.
Following the controversial posts on social media, the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) took advantage of the comic situation to issue an unusual travel reminder, confirming that passengers can, in fact, bring a taxidermy raccoon holding an empty liquor bottle through airport security, provided their airline allows it.
Taxidermy raccoon. Photo: Hiroshi-Mori-Stock / Shutterstock.comResponding to questions on social media, the TSA wrote: "It's ok with us but pls check with your airline first."
The humorous post comes just one day after the agency reassured travelers that they could also bring potatoes through security. "Looking to take flight with your favorite type of potato?" the TSA joked, adding that whether it's a sweet potato, a "pug-tato" (a pug dog), a tater tot hotdish, or even an oversized potato, travelers are generally allowed to carry them onboard.
Pug dog. Photo: ShutterstockThe posts are part of the TSA's long-running tradition of using humor to answer unusual questions while reminding passengers that airline policies can differ from federal security rules. Although an item may be permitted through a TSA checkpoint, individual airlines can still prohibit it in the cabin or require it to be checked.
At the end of June, TSA intercepted two live smoke grenades in a passenger’s checked baggage at Indianapolis International Airport. One of them had been concealed inside a jar of peanut butter.