Connecticut catering company penalizes CEO after dog-kicking incident

62,000 sign online petition calling for resignation

(Reuters) — The chief executive officer of catering company Centerplate, who was caught on videotape kicking a dog, has been placed on indefinite probation by his employer and ordered to donate to animal welfare efforts, the company's board of directors said.

The incident of animal cruelty by CEO Des Hague is "unacceptable," the company's board said in a statement. Stamford, Conn.-based Centerplate serves large sports and entertainment venues.

Video surveillance from a Vancouver hotel obtained by Canada's Global News showed Hague kicking a dog on a leash inside an elevator.

The incident has prompted an outcry on social media, where an online petition calling for Hague to be fired had some 62,000 signatures as of early afternoon Friday. Other critics have called for a boycott of Centerplate concessions.

Hague has released a statement saying he was “ashamed and deeply embarrassed."

"A minor frustration with a friend’s pet caused me to lose control of my emotional response," he said.

Centerplate’s board said it had convened a special meeting after an internal investigation and had determined that Hague was "truly ashamed" of his actions.

It said Hague was given a written censure and placed on indefinite probation. It also said he would personally donate $100,000 to the Sade Foundation, which was established to protect animals in Vancouver, and serve 1,000 hours of community service to support an animal welfare organization.

Centerplate said it also would donate a portion of its sales to the Sade Foundation.

Hague still faces potential charges in Vancouver, the company said.

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