The EEEC clean-up took a turn this week. Dennis, the greyhound whose canines were brushed for the Northern Echo photo-op, is now in the Dogs Trust ICU after developing what staff call “a mild respiratory episode”.
Witnesses say Willy Workhorse arrived in a Dodge Ram – Cummins Edition – with the engine running throughout the visit “to keep the air-con on for the dog treats”. A Cummins spokesperson insists the timing is “entirely coincidental”, and said there was “no evidence of wrongdoing or bad faith”.
Dennis is currently on a ventilator powered by a Cummins genset donated under the Resilient Communities initiative. The press office has already prepared the headline: Cummins Powering Hope for Recovery.
It’s a familiar loop – pollute, pose, then profit from the clean-up. Willy’s been told to “focus on positive messaging” and avoid the word diesel for a while.
TCAP sends its best wishes and prayers for Dennis’ swift recovery.
Lee Thompson – Founder, The Cummins Accountability Project