The reason I believe this claim is that PETA and other animal rights groups have planted zealots into animal using industries with the intent of making public accusations. Alas, the truth or falsity doesn’t really matter as in the infamous Silver Springs Monkey Case, which sought to destroy a reputable animal researcher with false claims of animal abuse and neglect.
This time it is an animal park. From the story:
The director of a Wynnewood area animal park says he’s got the proof that a former employee was planted as a spy for a national animal rights group. Joe Schreibvogel is adamant the proof is a taped confession showing the People for the Ethical Treatment Animals group, better known as PETA, did pay an employee to come up with a way to make the G.W. Exotic Animal Park look as bad as possible even if the discriminating evidence was fictitious. Last week Garvin County Sheriff Larry Rhodes confirmed his office is now investigating Schreibvogel’s claim the employee was secretly working as a spy for PETA.
Schreibvogel claims the park employee of four years was using an external hard drive to copy the contents of his computer at the area attraction. He also claims that same employee was using a camera supplied to him by PETA and laptop computer as part of the plot to discredit the park. The park director’s biggest claim is the accused employee admitted to his involvement when he was questioned by Schreibvogel and his attorney. “He admitted almost everything on tape,” Schreibvogel said. “We’ve got him on video admitting that they paid him to make a video to sugar coat, stretch and make us look as bad as possible,” he said.
Planting spies to bear false witness is a classic ploy in the PETA playbook. If the spy’s charge is to plant evidence or lie about conditions, criminal and/or civil liability should accrue. Hopefully, if verified, the animal park will sue PETA. This tactic has got to be stopped.
