Raising Cane’s in Hattiesburg is raising funds for Southern Pines Animal Shelter through sales of a limited-edition Golden Birthday Plush Puppy, available through April 29.
The fundraiser is part of the company’s celebration of its 28th anniversary—also known as its “golden birthday.” Net proceeds from the sale of the $9.99 plush toys will go to local pet welfare organizations, including Southern Pines.
“We do the Golden Plush Puppies throughout the year for various reasons, but this one was for our golden birthday,” said Cane’s Hattiesburg Restaurant Leader Miles Underwood. “All the proceeds that we make from the plush puppies will go directly to Southern Pines.”
The plush toy fundraiser is part of Raising Cane’s broader community engagement efforts. The company conducts multiple fundraisers annually, supporting causes such as education, food insecurity, active lifestyles, pet welfare, and entrepreneurship.
“We try to support the community in various ways. Aside from our plush puppies, we also give out Kids Achievement Awards to kids all over the county to help support education,” Underwood said. “We also do fundraisers for nonprofit organizations where they get everyone to come out and support the cause, and we donate 15 percent of the sales back to them.”
Unlike other Cane’s fundraisers that center on food and drink sales, the Golden Plush Puppy initiative generates donations solely from the sale of the toys.
“Cane’s really does a good job of interacting and supporting the communities around them,” said Cane’s employee and University of Southern Mississippi student Julien Smith. “I enjoy working at a place that gives so much back to its community.”
Each year, the Plush Puppy Program introduces special-edition toys inspired by the restaurant’s mascot, a yellow Labrador named Cane. Local restaurants select pet welfare organizations in their communities as beneficiaries.
To date, the Plush Puppy Program has raised more than $2 million for animal rescues, dog parks, and shelters, and has supported more than 30,000 organizations, according to the company.
The Golden Plush Puppies are available for purchase in-store at the Hattiesburg Raising Cane’s or online at raisingcanesgear.com, where a limited-edition oversized version is also available.
