# CEO's Dobe siezed by BC SPCA



## Noel Long (Mar 13, 2013)

Article here

When two B.C. SPCA officers entered the 39th-floor condo of a downtown Vancouver building Wednesday night they found a Doberman pinscher puppy in its crate, surrounded by the stench of its own urine with its food and water bowls out of reach, according to court documents.

Once let out of her cage, Sade — the one-year-old female puppy — was skittish around people and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals officers said she appeared physically abused, according to the information to obtain a search warrant filed in B.C. Provincial Court and obtained by The Sun.

A day earlier, a concerned citizen had called the SPCA’s cruelty hotline and sent video footage of Sade and a man in the elevator at the Private Residences at the Hotel Georgia, according to the search warrant documents.

That video — dated July 27 — showed the man kicking the dog in the stomach repeatedly and yanking her “leash aggressively over his right shoulder to the point where (the) dog is lifted into the air chocking (sic) the dog,” according to the search warrant documents. Members of the public were outraged Thursday night after Global News obtained the video and led its main newscast with the footage.

The SPCA’s court documents identify the man in the video as Desmond Hague. Desmond (Des) Hague is the president and CEO of Centerplate Inc. — one of North America’s largest sports arena catering companies that serves food at BC Place, Denver’s Mile High Stadium and San Diego’s Qualcomm Stadium.

Hague, who lives in Connecticut and gave the SPCA a number with that area code, released a statement Saturday.

"I take full responsibility for my actions," he said. "This incident is completely and utterly out of character and I am ashamed and deeply embarrassed. Under the circumstances of the evening in question, a minor frustration with a friend's pet caused me to lose control of my emotional response. Unfortunately, I acted inappropriately, and I am deeply sorry for that and am very grateful that no harm was caused to the animal."
"I have reached out to the SPCA and have personally apologized to the dog's owner. At this time, I would like to extend my apology to my family, company and clients, as I understand that this has also reflected negatively on them."

No charges have been laid against him and none of the allegations has been proven in court.

The B.C. SPCA’s chief prevention and enforcement officer Marcie Moriarty said her organization has recommended animal cruelty charges against Hague and that Crown counsel is now reviewing the case. She added that Crown could proceed with charges under the criminal or provincial Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, which both could bring jail time or a lifetime ban on pet ownership.


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## Noel Long (Mar 13, 2013)

Video! One of the articles is wrong. Initially, Hague said it was a friend's dog. Later, after said dog was discovered housed on his property, he admitted he owned Sade.

This news made ESPN. This is a PR nightmare for 9 NFL teams:
"The San Francisco 49ers organization condemns the abuse of animals and was disturbed to learn of the recent news regarding Des Hague," the 49ers said in a statement provided to ESPN.com.

His company, or likely the PR handlers, are making him donate money and volunteer hours:
On Wednesday, Centerplate said in a statement that Hague will donate $100,000 to the Safe Foundation "in honor of the dog he mistreated" and serve 1,000 hours of community service to an undetermined animal protection agency. Hague still faces potential criminal charges in Vancouver, the company said.


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## Rob Maltese (Jan 8, 2014)

Absolutely sick...and the fact he lives in my state.


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## Catherine Gervin (Mar 12, 2012)

big, tough, important guy has to pick on his own dog when he throws a temper tantrum...whatever the particulars, he sounds like an asshole.


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## Zakia Days (Mar 13, 2009)

Well...they won't be getting anymore of my money. That's the ONLY way any corporation will care. If they're not losing any money as a result, it might as well have not happened. Fk that guy! Sorry for the expletive to all offended.


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## Noel Long (Mar 13, 2013)

He resigned last week. ESPN article.


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## Catherine Gervin (Mar 12, 2012)

did they take the dog away from him, then?


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## Haz Othman (Mar 25, 2013)

He got fired.. Maybe he got frustrated when he realized the truth about dobes..


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## Nicole Stark (Jul 22, 2009)

Haz Othman said:


> He got fired.. Maybe he got frustrated when he realized the truth about dobes..


I gather this statement is a good example of what your center, which you relate to the world around you is like?


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## Catherine Gervin (Mar 12, 2012)

am i the only one who feels that it's curtains for this dog once he gets home from being fired?
also, the truth about Dobermans is that they are magnificent and sensitive and deserve all the love in the world, just like any dog does.
you know who should be locked in a crate to steep in their own urine away from their basic needs and in fear of random abuse? f*#kers who abuse animals.


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