Cesar Millan, known as the “Dog Whisperer,” said today he has been cleared of any wrongdoing stemming from a recent episode of his National Geographic Wild network show that prompted a visit by animal control officers to his Santa Clarita training facility.
The March 10 visit to Millan’s Dog Psychology Center on Blue Cloud Road was prompted by a video of Millan’s “Cesar 911” series that showed an aggressive dog being trained by Millan chasing and nipping the ear of a pot- bellied pig.
Officials with National Geographic Wild network insisted at the time the clip was taken out of context, and even posted more extensive footage of the training session on its Facebook page.
Millan said Monday he was informed by the county Department of Animal Care and Control that their investigators “have found that we did nothing wrong and no charges will be brought against me or my team.”
“I am pleased but not surprised by this news,” Millan wrote in an online blog. “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.”
Aaron Reyes, spokesman for the county Department of Animal Care and Control, confirmed that there was no evidence of any wrongdoing found.
“After a comprehensive investigation — including inspecting the pig, reviewing the veterinary report, reviewing the full video and interviewing all involved — our major case unit packaged up the case and presented it to the (District Attorney’s Office) approximately two weeks ago,” Reyes said. “They – – like us — did not see animal cruelty on the video or anywhere in the case file. So the case was declined, and closed.”
According to NatGeoWild, Millan was working with a French bulldog/terrier mix named Simon, who has a history of attacking other animals, “including his owners’ pet pot-bellied pigs.”
“A short clip from the episode was shared online and showed Simon chasing a pig and nipping its ear, causing the ear to bleed,” according to the network. “The clip caused some concern for viewers who did not see or understand the full context of the encounter.”
Network officials insisted that Millan took precautions during the training session.
“The pig that was nipped by Simon was tended to immediately afterward, healed quickly and showed no lasting signs of distress,” according to the network. “As the additional clip reveals, Cesar and his animal pack effectively helped Simon to overcome his aggressive behavior toward other animals. As a result, Simon did not have to be separated from his owner or euthanized.”
—City News Service