Los Angeles

‘Dog Whisperer' Cesar Millan Will Not Face Animal Cruelty Charges

The investigation was opened after an episode of "Cesar 911" in which a dog bit a pig's ear

"Dog Whisperer" Cesar Millan will not face criminal charges as part of an animal cruelty investigation stemming from an episode of his television show, "Cesar 911," officials said Monday.

Animal services officials were flooded with tips following the airing of an episode in which a live pig was used during a training session with a dog that had previously attacked two pet pigs. In the segment, the dog bit the pig's ear before it could be stopped, causing it to bleed.

Los Angeles County Animal Control officials said Monday that Millan will not face criminal charges. The case, which included an inspection of the pig and interviews with those involved in the shoot, was presented to the district attorney's office two week ago.

Millan issued a statement saying he was "pleased but not surprised."

"We have been informed by Los Angeles County Animal Control that their investigation into the farm pig incident is over and they have found that we did nothing wrong and no charges will be brought against me or my team," Millan said. "I am pleased but not surprised by this news. My team and I are 100 percent dedicated to the proper care of all animals and our animal handling procedures are safe and humane. We will continue to rescue and rehabilitate even the most difficult problem dogs. Our work has saved the lives of thousands of animals that otherwise would have been euthanized."

The investigation showed the dog accidentally escaped Millan's control. Others captured the dog, attended to the pig and called a veterinarian, who found there was no need for treatment, Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney David Jacobs wrote in a case evaluation statement.

"There is no evidence that the pig was used as bait, and all parties who witnessed the incident felt it was an accident," the evaluation said. "Although in the video the pig is seen bleeding, the dog's act was merely a nip and did not tear or bite the skin off."

A representative from Nat Geo WILD, which airs Millan's show, said in a statement issued earlier that Millan has dedicated his life to helping dogs and "the clip caused some concern for viewers who did not see or understand the full context of the encounter."

Millan's attorney, Brian Klein, told City News Service his client cooperated throughout the investigation.

"We were always confident that Animal Control would conclude that Cesar and his team did nothing wrong and that there would be no charges," he said.

Contact Us