SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - A social media influencer went from the 7Spotlight to the national spotlight.
America has voted and South Florida’s very own Louie the Raccoon was named the 2024 Cadbury Bunny.
Louie beat out 31 other animals from across the country including a goat, mini horse, and even bearded dragons. In a March Madness-style competition, the championship round featured Louie against a rescue cat from New York named Loki.
“They definitely gave us a run for our money,” said Louie’s mom Jaime Arslan. “They were a very fierce competitor.”
Louie’s mom, Jaime Arslan, shares how she told Louie he won the title.
“I actually told Louie that he won and he proceeded to literally take the water bottle out of my hand that I was drinking and walk off with it, so he’s representing raccoons perfectly,” said Arslan.
Arslan, a former veterinarian tech, took Louie and three other raccoons into her home after it was not safe to release them back into the wild after rescuing them.
On 7Spotlight, Arslan showed her family’s unique living arrangement at their Southwest Miami-Dade home and how she is a full-time raccoon mom.
Heather Walker: “You’re a mom to four raccoons.”
Jaime Arslan: “Yes, I am a raccoon mom. Full-time.”
Part of Louie’s Instagram page, which now has over 378,000 followers, is used to educate people and change people’s perception of raccoons.
“They have this reputation for loving trash,” said Arslan. “They actually love eating fruits and vegetables, and not a lot of people know that.”
Jamie said Louie will donate the $7,000 prize money to a Florida-based wildlife rescue organization.
“For me to know that I can give back to them and help other raccoons, it just means the world to me.”
Louie will also get the chance to appear in a Cadbury TV commercial. Given his bigger-than-life personality, it seems Louie was born camera-ready.
“It’s just so neat because the commercial has been on air for nearly 40 years,” said Arslan. “So for Louis to be a part of such an iconic commercial is just amazing.”
With Louie’s TV debut, Arlsan said people will get a chance to see his well-known sense of fashion.
“In Miami, he’s kind of known as a little bit of a fashionista,” said Arslan.
Louis is the first raccoon to ever hold the Cadbury Bunny title. Louie’s mom hopes this will help create a better reputation for all raccoons.
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