Joel Manby, SeaWorld’s CEO, Has Admitted That His Employees Were Ordered to Infiltrate Animal Rights Protests

The chief executive of SeaWorld has admitted his employees were ordered to infiltrate animal rights protests against the company’s alleged mistreatment of killer whales and dolphins in its controversial aquatic theme parks.

Joel Manby, SeaWorld’s CEO, acknowledged on Thursday that the company was wrong to ask human resources employee Paul McComb to pose as an animal rights activist and join Peta protests against the company since at least July 2014.

“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,” Manby said of the tactics used by McComb, who was exposed as an undercover SeaWorld employee by Peta protesters last summer.

Manby said on Thursday that SeaWorld directors had ordered “management to end the practice in which certain employees posed as animal rights activists”.

Manby’s statement came during a conference call with investors following the release of another year of disappointing earnings. More than $160m (£115m) was wiped off SeaWorld’s market value on Thursday as the company’s shares – which were worth as much as $39 in 2013 – fell 11% to $17.60.

McComb, who posed as an animal rights activist named Thomas Jones, is still employed by SeaWorld. “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. A spokeswoman for SeaWorld refused to answer any questions about McComb.

Whilst undercover, McComb had urged other protesters to “burn it [SeaWorld] to the ground” and used Facebook and Twitter to incite other activists to “get a little aggressive” and “drain the new tanks at #SeaWorld”.

In the run-up to a July 2014 protest, Jones urged other activists: “Grab your pitchforks and torches. Time to take down SeaWorld.”

Tracy Reiman, Peta’s executive vice-president, said: “SeaWorld’s latest report confirms not only that the company has employed more than one spy to infiltrate and agitate at Peta but also that it values its spies more highly than the executives ... as at least one of the spies is still working at the company.

“SeaWorld’s finances continue to flop as animals continue to be found dead in its tiny tanks, with one death every single month since November. If SeaWorld had business savvy or common sense, it would modernize its business with coastal sanctuaries and virtual reality displays instead of building more roller coasters and dolphin prisons. The tawdry orca sideshows and despicable spying tactics are sinking SeaWorld’s ship.”

SeaWorld on Thursday said its 2015 earnings fell 2% to $361m as sales dropped by $6.8m to $1.37bn.

The company, which has been under intense public pressure since the 2013 release of Blackfish, a documentary cataloguing the alleged mistreatment of whales, dolphins and their trainers, said attendance increased by 0.3% to 72,000 but this was only possible due to “increased promotional offerings”.

Facing consumer backlash fanned by celebrities including Harry Styles, Cher and Mötley Crüe’s Tommy Lee, SeaWorld has said it will put an end to “theatrical killer whale experience” – but only at its park in San Diego, California, where the drop in attendance has been most acute.

Manby said the company will replace its Californian Shamu show – in which whales dive, jump and splash guests to the demands of their trainers – with “an all new orca experience focused on the natural environment [of the whales]” by 2017.

“We are listening to our guests, evolving as a company, we are always changing,” Manby said as he unveiled a new corporate strategy in November. “ 2016 will be the last year of our theatrical killer whale experience in San Diego.”

He said the decision to end the orca shows in California was in direct response to customers, who he said had made it clear that they want less of a theatrical experience and would rather see the whales in a more natural setting. Attendance at the San Diego park is falling fast. Visitor numbers dropped 17% in 2013 to 3.8 million, according to city authorities.

As part of its strategy to move away from circus-style performances, SeaWorld last week replaced two top executives in charge of animal safety and theme park operations. “The leadership changes we announced last week are another important step on our roadmap to stabilization and growth,” Manby said on Thursday.

Paul McComb posed as ‘Thomas Jones’ and infiltrated Peta at least as early as July 2014. Photograph: Facebook/Peta.

Tweets by activist Thomas Jones, who is allegedly Paul McComb, a SeaWorld employee. Photograph: Twitter

Pony Dressed as Unicorn Leads California Authorities on Wild Chase

A pony dressed as a unicorn lead California Highway Patrol on a four-hour chase through the streets of Madera County, Calif., Wednesday night.

The white pony, named Juliet, doubles as a unicorn for photo shoots with her owner photographer Sandra Boos. 

Boos said Juliet makes a lot of "dreams come true" for little girls during the photoshoots.

On Wednesday night, Juliet decided to make a dream of her own come true. Freedom.

While her owner was taking photos of a group of young children, Juliet made her move.

Donning her mythical unicorn horn, Juliet “threw up her head" and "pulled the lead rope” out of a bystander's hands and ran, Boos said.

“I was shooting, but I assume she got free and was like, ‘Oh, well I’m going to run,’ and she took off,” Boos said in a phone interview.

The California Highway Patrol tried for almost four hours to catch Juliet on the ground, as a helicopter helped track the horse from the air, Boos said.

Juliet eluded all efforts at capture, until Boos' friend rode up on a horse.

“When Juliet saw [the woman's] horse, Shady, she came running,” Boos said.

To her owner's relief, Juliet followed the horse into a nearby pen.

"I was standing with highway patrol when the call came over the radio, and they said 'the unicorn is in custody,'" Boos said.

A Teen Saved More Than a Dozen Clydesdales, Including a 3-Week-Old Foal, from a Burning Barn

Bishop, Georgia - A teen saved more than a dozen Clydesdales, including a 3-week-old foal, from a burning barn about 60 miles east of Atlanta.

At about 2 a.m. ET Thursday, lightning struck the horse barn at Classic City Clydesdales here.

“It shook the whole house," said Shannon Martin, who owns the farm with her husband, Mark. "One minute I am in bed. The next minute I am standing up next to the bed trying to figure out what bomb went off.”

It rattled the horses, especially the 3-week-old trapped inside with more than a dozen others. With flames all around, the barn doors were locked and the power was out.

“We could not get the large overheads open,” she said.

That's when their 16-year son, Macon Martin, jumped into action.

“I just ran right out. I had no clothes on, no shoes, no nothing,” he said. “I just jumped in our Gator and I just ran it right into the door.”

He used the John Deere utility vehicle like an action hero, his mom said.

“He busted through like Rambo and opened up the end of the stalls and said, 'Mom this way,' " she said. "And we were able to push the horses out that way."

All of the Clydesdales, a breed of draft horse most famous for starring in Budweiser commercials, are doing fine — including Phoebe. She’s expecting a foal, and her due date was Thursday.

The barn is a total loss.

“It will take some time to rebuild," Shannon Martin said. "This was a dream. We saved and built it brick by brick. We’ll have to start over.”

But their horses, which travel to events and parades across the USA, will be starting over with them.

“Big horses everybody thinks (are) real tough," she said. "but Clydes are sort of the beauty queens of the draft horse world. They can be pretty fragile.”

Remember the Puppy That Was Shot 18 Times with a BB Gun? He Has Been Adopted!

Rock Hill, SC - To see 10-year-old Kailey play with Brody the 6-week-old puppy is to see pure love.

Both of them have been recently hurt. Brody was shot 18 times with a BB gun, and Kailey lost her best friend and life-long dog, Woodrow.

"When I lost Woodrow, I thought I lost half my heart. Now I got that other half back," Kailey said with a smile you could see from the moon.

Woodrow died two months ago and left Kailey devastated. According to her mother Carla, "It broke her heart, and the hardest thing to see as a parent is your child hurt. Brody is actually piecing that heart back together for her."

The match seemed hand-crafted in heaven. Carla works at the pet hospital Brody was taken to when officers discovered he'd been shot. Kailey was one of the first people to see him, before he became a viral star on the internet.

"The first time she met him she looked in his eyes and said he reminded her of Woodrow, and I knew right then that she had picked her puppy," Carla said.

Brody was hurt, and Kailey was hurt. Now the two are helping each other recover.

X-rays show that the BB's are still inside Brody, but officials said he is doing okay. He is expected to make a full recovery.

De'Monte Ty'Juan Douglas, 17, is charged with felony first degree cruelty to animals. A 14-year-old was also petitioned to family court and released to his parents pending that court appearance. His name has not been released due to his age.

Douglas was in court Wednesday morning. His bond was set at $5,000.

Since the incident, Brody has brought in attention from all over the country.

Dr. Jay Hreiz said the hospital has been getting “hundreds of calls a day about him.”

Initial Story: Two Teenagers Have Been Arrested for Shooting a 6-Week-Old Puppy with a BB Gun

Tom Brady, Posted a Facebook Video Holding Aloft His New Puppy as the Theme Song to The Lion King Plays in the Background

Tom Brady and his family have gone to the dogs, and Patriots fans are lapping it up.

New England’s star quarterback posted a Facebook video this week showing him holding aloft his new puppy, Fluffy, as the theme to Disney’s “The Lion King” plays in the background.

Brady’s other two dogs, Scooby and Lua, lay at his feet as the QB does his best Rafiki impersonation, with Fluffy starring as Simba.

As of midday Friday, the video had been viewed more than 2 million times and prompted more than 6,300 comments.

Brady and his supermodel wife, Gisele Bundchen, said they adopted the pup through Wags and Walks, a Los Angeles animal rescue group.

Bundchen wrote on Instagram: “The kids are over the moon with our new family member.”

Washington, DC - Washington Animal Rescue League: We're in Desperate Need of Towels and Blankets for the Shelter and Medical Center Right Now!

We're in desperate need of towels and blankets for the shelter and medical center right now, and we're turning to our Facebook friends for help! If you have any towels or blankets of any size that you can spare (they don't need to be new), 

Please drop them off at 71 Oglethorpe Street, NW, Washington, DC. Thank you for helping us help the animals!

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