Rescue raccoon crowned 2024 Cadbury Bunny

Stephanie Thompson
·2 min read
Rescue raccoon crowned 2024 Cadbury Bunny

HERSHEY, Pa. (WCMH) — A new Cadbury Bunny has been named in the sixth annual Cadbury Bunny Tryouts.

The 2024 crown went to Louie, the first-ever raccoon to win the contest, according to a news release from Hershey. Louie hails from Miami, where he was rescued by his owner Jamie Arslan in 2021 after being “deemed unfit to live in the wild.” The two-year-old mammal also helps support other animals by using his toe-painting skills to create art that raises funds for wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centers.

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“We’re thrilled that Louie has been chosen as the winner of this year’s Cadbury Bunny Tryouts – we are longtime fans of the Cadbury brand and are honored to see Louie join the long legacy of incredible Cadbury Bunnies,” said Arslan.

This year, in a change from earlier installments of the Bunny Tryouts, pet lovers voted on Instagram in a bracket-style elimination tournament. Pet pictures were submitted by owners from across the country and finalists were narrowed down from “Thirty-Cute to the Final Bunny” in March.

<em>Louie from Miami, FL is the first-ever raccoon rescue to be crowned the CADBURY Bunny</em>
Louie from Miami, FL is the first-ever raccoon rescue to be crowned the CADBURY Bunny

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“Each year we look forward to crowning a new Cadbury Bunny, especially this year where we engaged fans in a new way through our bracket-style competition. It was incredible to see pet lovers getting in on the fun,” said Natalie Shuntich, senior associate marketing manager at The Hershey Company. “Witnessing how fans participated in each wave of voting, and the loving support for our thirty-cute finalists from Cadbury fans across the U.S. is a testament to the love for the Cadbury brand.”

As the Cadbury Bunny, Louie will receive a $7,000 prize and star in the 2025 Cadbury Bunny Tryouts commercial.

Previous winners include Crash the Rescue Cat (2023), Annie Rose the Therapy Dog (2022), Betty the Frog (2021), Lieutenant Dan the Treeing Walker Coonhound (2020) and Henri the English Bulldog (2019).

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