Less than 24 hours after Los Angeles County Animal Control issued a notice requiring "Dog Whisperer" Cesar Millan to contact investigators over possible animal cruelty, the dog trainer is reportedly cooperating with authorities and confident there was no wrongdoing, network representatives said.
The investigation comes after animal welfare officials were flooded with tips following the airing of an episode for his "Cesar 911" TV show when Millan used a live pig as part of a training session with a dog that had previously attacked two pet pigs.
Sheriff's deputies and investigators with Animal Control visited his Dog Psychology Center in Santa Clarita Thursday evening, but Millan was not there at the time.
In the segment, the dog bit the pig's ear before it could be stopped, causing it to bleed. Online reports and petitions have said it appeared part of the ear had been bitten off, but representatives for Millan's show insisted Thursday night that was not the case.
"Animal abuse is never acceptable, and should never be tolerated," the American Humane Association said in a statement. "We saw what so many concerned Americans saw in that segment. Clearly, the treatment of the animals did not meet our stringent 'Guidelines for the Safe Use of Animals in Filmed Media.'"
According to Animal Control, Millan was issued a notice Thursday to contact investigators and share information on the whereabouts and well-being of the pig.
The incident has caused a furor, with some animal activists taking to social media decrying the incident and petitions circulating calling for the end to his TV show. Millan is a self-taught dog behaviorist who has several New York Times best-selling books on the subject to his name in addition to his television shows.
A representative from Nat Geo WILD, which airs Millan's show, said in a statement that Millan has dedicated his life to helping dogs and that "the clip caused some concern for viewers who did not see or understand the full context of the encounter." (Full statement here.)
"Millan is and will continue to fully cooperate with authorities in any investigation. He is confident that the investigation will show there was no wrongdoing," the statement said.