The CEO filmed kicking a dog in an elevator in Vancouver has resigned amid a growing campaign to boycott his former company – which has wasted no time replacing him.
Desmond Hague, CEO of prominent catering company Centerplate, was captured on video repeatedly kicking a Doberman pinscher puppy, sparking outrage after the video surfaced publicly in August.
In a statement, Centerplate said Hague’s decision to resign “comes as a result of [his] personal misconduct involving the mistreatment of an animal in his care.”
“Following an extended review of the incident involving Mr. Hague, I’d like to apologize for the distress that this situation has caused to so many,” said Joe O’Donnell, chairman of the board for Centerplate.
Hague was previously ordered to donate $100,000 to charity and complete 1,000 hours of community service, or risk losing his job.
Both the U.S.-based food and beverage corporation as well as the SPCA launched investigations in the wake of the video being released.
Prior to the announcement, an online petition to fire Hague had gained traction online with more than 189,000 signatures.
Hague issued a statement shortly after the video was released, saying his actions were "completely and utterly out of character."
"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."
Early Tuesday, the company announced the promotion of chief operating officer Chris Verros to acting president and CEO of the company.
Centerplate caters to numerous sports venues including BC Place, home of the BC Lions and Vancouver Whitecaps. The venue also hosted the 2010 Winter Olympics opening and closing ceremonies.
Since the video was released, a number of individuals have said they will no longer purchase food and drinks from venues that use Centerplate's services.
