Just when you thought SeaWorld couldn’t stoop any lower than promising to can its grossly-unethical orca shows – only to have yet another die in captivity weeks later – the company has ‘fessed up to forcing company employees to pose as animal rights activists for intel.
The company was essentially coerced into the admission of guilt after the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) identified a SeaWorld employee as having infiltrating its ranks last year, even going so far as to JOIN IN several protests against its use / abuse of orcas for profit.
PETA officials ID’d the SeaWorld mole as Paul T. McComb, a penpusher in the human resources dpt. who went under the alias Thomas Jones to collect nuggets of info on what the animal rights activists group had planned in the way of attacks on its reputation.
In his role as undercover-person-with-a-conscience, McComb urged protesters to “burn it [SeaWorld] to the ground” and “drain the new tanks at #SeaWorld” on social media.
SeaWorld’s chief executive, Joel Manby, actually attempted to defend the new levels of shady during a conference call with investors following the release of another year of shithouse earnings, which are down more than 84% – largely a result of the public’s social conscience being woke by 2013 doco ‘Blackfish’.
“This activity was undertaken in connection with efforts to maintain the safety and security of employees, customers and animals in the face of credible threats,” he said, adding SeaWorld’s directors had ordered “management to end the practice in which certain employees posed as animal rights activists” – too little too late, much like putting an end to orca shows once several animals have already died.
To make matter worse, PETA reckons McComb STILL works for SeaWorld, and hasn’t been fired as he most definitely should have been.
“Mr. McComb remains an employee of SeaWorld, has returned to work at SeaWorld in a different department and is no longer on administrative leave,” the company said in a statement.
SeaWorld refused to answer any questions about McComb, ‘cos of course.
Excuse us while we spray vomit every-which-way.
Source: The Guardian.
Photo: Flikr.
