Photo: The Hershey Company
The annual CadburyBunny Tryouts are over, and a new top rabbit has been crowned.
For the first time, a feline won the contest, making Crash the first kitty to serve as the iconic Cadbury Bunny.
Crash, an 8-year-old orange and white, one-eyed rescue cat from Boise, Idaho, earned the honor after receiving “an impressive number of votes” from animal lovers across the country, according to Cadbury. As the winner of the tryouts, Crash will receive $5,000 for himself and a shelter of his choice as well as a starring role inCadbury’s famous Clucking Bunny commercial.
“We arejumping with joy to hear Crash is the nextCadburyBunnybut not surprised as he is always the center of attention in any room,” Crash’s owner, Maddie Corey, said in a statement.
“He’s been through so much over the past few years, and we appreciate the love his friends, family, and cat enthusiasts across the country have shown,” she added.
The Hershey Company
Crash was rescued following a “devastating car accident” that left him severely injured and with one eye. He was placed in a local shelter to recover from the incident and quickly won over the hearts of the staff with “his quirky, outgoing personality,” eventually becoming a full-time resident shelter cat.
“We can’t wait to see Crash take center stage for this year’s Cadbury Clucking Bunny Commercial and share his story with the world,” Corey said.
In the trailer announcing the new winner, Crash wears pink bunny ears and bats his paw at the camera next to a sign that reads “2023 Bunny Tryouts Winner.”
He joins previous winners:Henri the English Bulldog(2019),Lieutenant Dan the Treeing Walker Coonhound(2020),Betty the Frog(2021), andAnnie Rose the Therapy Dog(2022).
For 2023, Cadbury donated $20,000 to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) to celebrate the tryouts' 5th anniversary and to help the nonprofit in its mission to prevent animal cruelty.
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“We’ve been on the edge of our seats waiting to see who America would choose as the 2023 Cadbury Bunny, and after an impressive number of votes, we couldn’t be more excited to see Crash take home the coveted Bunny ears,” said Cam Bogie with the Cadburybrand team.
“Big thank you to all the pets that entered this year’s special rescue Tryouts, and big congratulations to our winner, Crash!” the spokesperson added.
source: people.com
