A Subaru dealership in Austin, Texas is feeling the internet's wrath after it reportedly took a dog away from its employee caretaker after that worker was let go.
The worker lived with and cared for the dog, which served as the dealership's mascot, for three years
Austin Subaru
A Subaru dealership in Austin, Texas is feeling the internet's wrath after it reportedly took a dog away from its employee caretaker after that worker was let go.
The dog at the center of the controversy is named Rally, a golden retriever mix who has been the mascot of Austin Subaru for years. A now-former marketing employee of the dealership who says he has lived with and cared for the rescue animal for the past three years took to Instagram to announce the dealer had taken Rally away as part of his dismissal.
"We grew a bond that no one will never really understand," the unnamed worker wrote. "It was a fun ride and I completely spoiled him every single day without regret. I often got asked 'What will happen if you got let go? Would you keep Rally?' I honestly never knew how to answer that question. Now I know."
Social media users came to the caretaker's support, with one person posting that "Rally was taken from him like a work laptop or set of keys." And it wasn't long before the internet did its thing, with posts on Reddit $RDDT and other social media sites lambasting the dealership and leaving their thoughts on the dealer's social media feeds.
The dealership has responded to the criticism via Instagram, writing, "Rally is a cherished part of our dealership family, and his safety, stability, and daily care have always been and will continue to be our top priority. We understand that emotions can run high, but please know that there are always multiple perspectives, and every decision we make is guided by what we believe is best for Rally and our greater Subaru family."
There have also been reports the company is removing comments from its social media and online reviews. Yelp, meanwhile, has temporarily disabled posting of content to the company's review page due to increased public attention.
Rally, meanwhile, is still keeping office hours at the dealership, every Monday through Friday from 9-5, with occasional Saturday drop ins, the company's website says.
Join 500,000+ readers who start their day with Quartz.
By subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.