description: A Jimothy the Raccoon plush is being sold as a dog toy at select Costco stores. Real Reddit reactions from October 13–18, 2026 turn the product into a human-versus-dog custody dispute.
A plush version of Seattle's beloved raccoon Jimothy has reached select Costco stores in the Pacific Northwest. There is one crucial detail: it is sold as a dog toy. On Reddit, people promptly began discussing whether they should keep it for themselves, compete with their pets for it, or launch a reconnaissance mission to find one. The dog is the intended customer. The human has already claimed the couch and the plush.
The raccoon behind the merchandise
Jimothy is a wild raccoon from Seattle's Ballard neighborhood. A short video posted by local resident Kiana Hall in July 2026 brought him widespread attention. Wildlife experts have suggested a congenital spinal difference may explain his distinctive appearance, but a video cannot establish a diagnosis. The animal is not a performer or a pet. He is simply living his life outside, while the internet develops an entire retail economy around him. See UPI's July 17 report and the original creator's Instagram profile.
An October 14 USA TODAY report republished by The Spokesman-Review identified Think Dog by Delca as the maker of the plush dog toy. It appeared in selected Pacific Northwest Costco warehouses; a store photo showed a $10.99 price. That does not mean every Costco carries it.
Real reaction one: “Why is it a dog toy?”
In an October 16 r/Costco discussion, one commenter thought it was rather rude to make Jimothy a dog toy instead of a regular plush to cuddle. Another joked that their dogs would have to fight them for it. The product was designed for a creature with four paws. The strongest objection came from a creature with a Costco membership.
Real reaction two: a plush for humans, please
An October 13 thread among Jimothy fans asked where to get a version made for humans. Another participant jokingly argued that the dog-toy label was merely marketing and that people knew the real audience. Imagine a dog reading the packaging and realizing its owner has filed a competing claim. Not even the squeaker gets legal representation.
Real reaction three: inventory becomes a community operation
By October 18, a Kirkland Reddit thread was organizing an informal search. Someone asked whether the toys were still in stock before making the drive; other users volunteered to check and reported back, including unsuccessful searches. Those reports describe individual stores at specific times, not live inventory everywhere. Still, it is impressive logistics for an item supposedly destined to be chewed by a dog.
Original joke: the customer-service desk
Clerk: “That's a toy for dogs.”
Customer: “Correct. I'm keeping it.”
Clerk: “And your dog?”
Customer: “He can borrow it when he learns to appreciate collectible merchandise.”
Clerk: “I think we've identified the territorial animal.”
This exchange is original satire, not an actual Reddit conversation.
The punch line
Jimothy became famous in July. The October story is not a newly discovered raccoon; it is the strange economics of a plush sold for dogs and pursued by humans. People are checking warehouses, defending their right to cuddle, and treating a pet product like a limited-edition collectible. The only participant who never approved the merchandising strategy is the real Jimothy.
References (5)
- UPI, July 17, 2026: Jimothy's origins
- USA TODAY / The Spokesman-Review, October 14: Costco dog toy
- r/Costco, October 16–17: dog toy versus cuddly plush
- r/JimothyTheRaccoon, October 13: a version for humans
- r/Kirkland, October 18: inventory search
Checked October 20, 2026. Public Reddit comment text was available; the original Instagram video was not directly played. The dialogue above is expressly invented.
