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'Dog Whisperer' Cesar Millan Will Not Face Animal Cruelty Charges
‘Dog Whisperer’ Cesar Milan (Photo by Jason Merritt via Getty)
Charges will not be filed against celebrity dog trainer Cesar Millan, who was under investigation for animal cruelty after a dog was seen biting a pig on his TV show, Cesar 911. Cesar Millan, a dog whisperer who hosts the National Geographic Wild show, was facing complaints of animal cruelty after Simon, a French bulldog-terrier mix that Millan was training at his Santa Clarita training facility, bit a pot-bellied pig's ear on the February 26th episode. L.A. County animal control officials have concluded their month-long investigation and presented their findings to the District Attorney's office, the L.A. Times reports. According to Aaron Reyes, deputy director for Animal Care and Control, the DA's office was "unable to find anything to change Mr. Millan with."
Reyes said that in the course of their investigation, officials watched the full video of the incident several times and conducted numerous interviews.
"You can tell that it was not intentional and [Millan's] reactions were swift and effective. The injuries to the pig looked worse than they really were, and they got immediate veterinary care," Reyes said.
According National Geographic Wild, Simon did not have to be put down, and was not separated from his owner.
Millan has issued the following statement:
I am pleased but not surprised by this news—our animal handling procedures are safe and humane. Just like L.A. County Animal Control, my team and I are 100% dedicated to the proper care of all animals, including the farm pig in this case. I am continuing my work rescuing and rehabilitating even the most difficult problem dogs, which has saved the lives of thousands of animals that otherwise would have been euthanized.
The show released a clip "to provide missing context, and also released a statement, saying that "the pig that was nipped by Simon (the dog) was tended to immediately afterward, healed quickly and showed no lasting signs of distress."
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Millan is known for his books, seminars and TV shows, including Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan, Leader of the Pack and Cesar 911, all focused on dog training.
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