Hillsborough County Animal Services in Cat Fight with Checkers Restaurant

Tampa Florida's Bay News 9 reported earlier this week that Tampa-based Checkers Restaurant is in a cat fight with Hillsborough County Animal Services over a new marketing campaign.

According to the Associated Press (AP), the folks at animal services are not amused by this marketing stunt that is being used as a promotional tool by Checkers and its sister restaurant, Rally, which encourages customers to dress their cats in a special Rapcat bag. The Rapcat bag is designed with cutaway areas for the cat's legs and tail, and the cat's head sticks out the opening of the bag. The Rapcat bag is designed to look like the basketball jersey with gold chain that's worn by Rapcat the puppet in Checkers commercials.

The AP also reported on a Hillsborough County Animal Services news release that was put out Monday that warned that forcing an unwilling cat into one of these bags could be considered felony animal cruelty. The agency stated that the bag's warning that "not all cats will be down with wearing this bag. Do not harm or endanger any cat," is not enough.

The AP quoted Marti Ryan, who is the spokeswoman for the Hillsborough County Animal Services, "We have no ill will toward Checkers or Rapcat as a character. Our message is that it is not a good idea to try to stuff a cat in a bag. It's a matter of common sense." She also said that the agency is prepared to go to court to stop the campaign, if necessary.

Tampa's Bay News 9 also quoted Marti Ryan's opinion of the safety of Checker's Rapcat marketing campaign to handler and cat. "Well, it's a complete and total safety hazard for the animal handler, as well as the animal, and people who love animals will tell you it's not a nice thing to do. It's unnatural and animals will take on a flight or fight instinct."

As for Checkers, the AP reports that they said that they mean no harm. In their report, the AP went on to quote Richard Turer, senior vice president of marketing for Checkers.

"When our Rapcat commercials began airing last fall, they were an overnight success. We received dozens of letters from our guests requesting Rapcat merchandise. Our new Rapcat Web site, cups and carry out bags are all in response to Rapcat's popularity and are intended only as a creative extension of our television campaign."

Tampa's Bay News 9 is currently conducting an online survey in regards to the Rapcat controversy asking, "Do you think animal services is justified in issuing the Rapcat advisory, or should they focus on other issues?" As of this writing on February 21, 2007, results are 34% that they're justified and 65% that people think other issues are more important.

Sources:
Associated Press. Cat Bag Apparel Irks Florida Officials. February 20, 2007. http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070221/D8NDRHS00.html. Retrieved February 21, 2007.
Bay News 9. Checkers restaurants, animal services in cat fight. February 19, 2007. http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2007/2/19/225001.html?title=Checkers+restaurants,+animal+services+in+cat+fight. Retrieved February 21, 2007.