Bush’s Baked Beans Spokesdog ‘Duke’ Dies

We are sad to report the passing of Duke, spokesdog for Bush's Baked Beans. See how to honor him and help other dogs as well.

Sadly our favorite spokesdog has died of cancer. A statement on the Bush's Baked Beans Facebook page confirms the bad news.

We continue to be overwhelmed by fan interest and their love of Duke. The relationship between Jay and his beloved dog Duke is the embodiment of the BUSH’S brand, and has been a part of our family story for more than 20 years. During that time, we've worked closely with several dogs who portrayed Duke in our commercials, including Sam. While Sam has not worked with us in years, we are saddened by the news of his passing and are grateful to have had him depict Duke. Because Duke is iconic to BUSH’S and so adored by our fans, we will continue to use him in our ads.

Duke died of Hemangiosarcoma, an aggressive and unfortunately, common cancer in dogs. The American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation (AKC) says the cause of the disease is unknown, certain breeds like Golden Retrievers, Boxers, German Shepherds and more are considered to be high-risk. This suggests that heritable traits, while not singularly responsible, may contribute to the disease. This type of cancer can develop in any tissue or organ, but the most common primary sites for these tumors include the spleen, right atrium of the heart, and the skin.

AKC is currently hosting a Hemangiosarcoma Donation Initiative where every donation will be matched up to $250,000 in the match challenge. The AKC will use the donations for research and attempt to find a cure for this deadly disease.

RIP Duke. We thought you were a very talented dog who we will forever associate with Bush's Baked Beans.