Editorial — How is cruelty to animals ‘out of character’?

SATURDAY MORNING EDITORIAL — It’s quite amazing, isn’t it, that whenever people are caught on video doing something wrong, they’re suddenly apologetic. Not only that, but their unacceptable actions were a one-time thing that were “utterly out of character.”

That’s the way Desmond Hague, the guy seen on video kicking a one-year-old Doberman named Sade several times in the ribs during a ride in a Vancouver elevator, then lifting the dog off its legs by the leash and collar, describes it.

“The incident is completely and utterly out of character and I am ashamed and deeply embarrassed,” said Hague as the video went viral and threatened to do some serious PR damage to Centerplate, a food distribution company of which Hague is CEO.

The dog, owned by a friend of Hague’s, was taken into care by the SPCA. Hague’s company, perhaps mindful of the huge backlash against other companies that haven’t acted quickly enough to remedy animal-cruelty accusations, immediately disciplined its CEO — he must donate $100,000 towards the establishment of the Sade Foundation for animal welfare and serve 1,000 hours of community service.

And that’s just the punishment from his own company, never mind any charges the SPCA might lay, plus his own public humiliation.

But back to his actions being out of character. Something in Hague prompted his kicking frenzy; it didn’t arrive via some outside force.

Hopefully, during those thousand hours of working with animal welfare groups, whatever is in him that caused him to act the way he did will work itself out.