Centerplate's puppy-kicking US boss placed on indefinite probation
Foodservice firm Centerplate has placed its US chief executive Des Hague on indefinite probation but has stopped short of sacking him, after he was caught being cruel to a dog.
Hague has come under fire after he was seen kicking a friend's Doberman puppy and yanking it by its lead in the elevator of a Vancouver apartment building in CCTV footage that surfaced last week, after it was sent to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).
Hague has already apologised and said the incident was "completely and utterly out of character". He continued: "I am ashamed and deeply embarrassed… a minor frustration with a friend's pet caused me to lose control of my emotional response… I would like to extend my apology to my family, company and clients, as I understand that this has also reflected negatively on them."
However some sports fans - 65% of Centerplate's clients in North America are sports venues - have been calling for Hague to be sacked. There have also been numerous calls to see him dismissed on social media site Twitter, under the hashtag #DesHague.
In a statement released today, Centerplate detailed the conclusions of its internal investigations into the matter, and announced how it planned to penalise the company boss.
"Thus, upon internal review of the incident, and recognising that Mr. Hague is truly ashamed of his actions and has expressed sincere remorse and shame for erratic behaviour that is uncharacteristic of him we have decided to take the following immediate actions:
"Mr. Hague will be given a written censure by the Board whereby he will be placed on indefinite probation stating that any further acts of misconduct would result in immediate termination.
"As a condition of his continued employment with Centerplate, Mr. Hague will personally donate $100,000.00 USD which will be donated towards the establishment of the Sade Foundation in honour of the dog he mistreated in the elevator to help support the protection and safety of animals in the city of Vancouver where the incident occurred.
"Further, we are requiring Mr. Hague to serve 1,000 hours of community service in support of an organisation that serves to protect the welfare and safety of animals."
The company added: "Centerplate in no way condones the mistreatment of animals, and as a strong sign of our conviction, we the company will also contribute a portion of our sales to the Sade Foundation. Additionally, we will open this foundation to all Centerplate employees and the general public who want to support and contribute in the hope that meaningful change can come out of this tragic situation."
Hague still faces potential charges in Vancouver, where he is personally responsible for charges and fines in relation to the incident.
