A young gymnast’s suit claims a dog owned by famed canine trainer Cesar Millan attacked one owned by the rapper-actress.
The details of a lawsuit from a young woman named Lidia Matiss allege that a dog owned by famed canine trainer Cesar Millan previously attacked another.
The lawsuit claims that Junior, Millan’s pit bull, attacked and killed a dog owned by Queen Latifah, and Millan lied to cover it up.
The Mexico native said he crossed the border into the United States more than 20 years ago with just $100 and the desire to be the “greatest dog trainer in the world.” “When I was 21 years old, on December 23rd I went to my mom again, ‘Mom, I’m leaving,’” Millan, 48, shared on Monday’s episode of “Red Table Talk.” She wondered where he was going so close to the holiday and Millan responded, “I’m going to America … I have to go right now.” “So my dad saved $100, he gave it to me. He put it in my sock and that’s all I had,” the famed animal trainer shared. “I took a bus. It took, like, two days to get there.” Millan says things got scary when he finally reached the border and encountered people ready to take advantage of his desperation. He says there were people waiting to either kill him or sell him for organs. “Dead is more likely than jumping it,” he said of crossing the border. “It’s not a piece of cake. I’m respectful about it. I know I broke a boundary and a rule. But it was for a dream.” After being apprehended on more than one occasion, Millan finally crossed the border and by chance met a guy who would lend a helping hand. “The guy said to me, ‘I’ll charge you $100,’” Millan said. “That’s all I had. That’s a sign.” Millan said he trusted the man, who said he knew the path. The man was aware of all the potential obstacles, including when the border patrol changes. “Finally, we cross and we get to the gas station. The guy says, ‘I’m going to get you a taxi. And the taxi is going to get you to San Diego.’” By this point, Millan was out of money. Fortunately, the stranger gave Millan a break and paid the taxi driver $20, keeping the remaining $80 as payment. Once he arrived in Southern California, Millan immediately began searching for work. The reality-TV star says he found the Yellow Pages and called local kennels. “I knew that I had to start at the bottom and cleaning kennels is not a problem. Those are the jobs, we immigrants we get,” he said. But things didn’t last long at the bottom. He soon developed a dog-walking business in the Inglewood neighborhood of Los Angeles. He quickly developed a name for himself and the Los Angeles Times caught wind, which exploded his business. And in 2009, he became a US citizen. He also credits Jada Pinkett Smith, whom he’s known for 28 years, with helping him along his journey. He told her one day that he wanted to have his own television show, but that his English was limited. So, as a kind gesture, Pinkett Smith sent a tutor his way.
As if a father-son road trip wasn't adventurous enough. Imagine travelling with two pugs, a pomeranian and a pit bull in an RV. "Dog whisperer" Cesar Millan and his 22-year-old son Andre are touring the country while filming their new Nat Geo Wild series "Cesar Millan's Dog Nation." The duo arrived in Chicago last week and plan to leave the city Wednesday after stops at Calumet Park for the Southeast Chicago Dog Fest; Michigan Avenue for window shopping; and Giordano's for a slice of deep dish pizza, despite the elder Millan's lack of cheese tolerance. Along the way, the longtime dog behaviorist and his son shared tips with the Southeast Chicago Dog Park Committee about building a successful dog park and 20somethings about adopting their first dog. "I want Andre to come in and teach the youth about prevention, what it means to be a responsible dog owner," Cesar Millan said during his visit to Tribune Tower last week. To read more on this story, click here:Dog Whisperer Cesar Millan Visits Chicago Braves Deep Dish Pizza
Cesar Millan, “The Dog Whisperer,” made headlines when a
dog appeared on his show attacking a pig. According to TMZ, an investigation is
underway by LA County Animal Control. Officials visited Millan’s dog training
center in Santa Clarita, California. Millan was not present, but has been given
24 hours to respond. The call was due to a barrage of complaints flooding in
when Millan’s show, Cesar 911, featured the dog attacking and injuring a pig
during a training session.
Millan is staunchly defended by NatGeoWild, which airs the
show on its channel. But dog trainers all over the country are saying they have
been trying to get the message across about Millan’s methods for the past
decade.
According to NBC Los Angeles, professional dog trainer
Laura Nativo has helped organize a petitioncalling for the cancellation of Millan’s show. Close to
10,000 people have signed it so far.
Other trainers have echoed these sentiments for years,
according to an article by author and internationally acclaimed trainer Jean
Donaldson on UrbanDawgs.com.
According to Donaldson, Lisa Laney Patrona, a certified
professional dog trainer and a graduate of the Companion Animal Sciences
Institute, wrote a letter to National Geographic prior to the airing of The Dog
Whisperer.
“The intended program depicts aversive and abusive training
methods – treatment for some serious anxiety and fear based issues – being
administered by an individual with no formal education whatsoever in canine
behavioral sciences. The ‘results’ that are shown are more than likely not long
lasting changes, but the result of learned helplessness, or fatigue, neither of
which impact behavior to any significant long term degree – at least not in a
good way. For those of us who are pioneering the effort to end the ignorance
that drives the cruel treatment administered upon our canine companions, it is
disappointing to see that this programming will reach the masses – especially
on the NatGeo Channel. The ignorance that this program perpetuates will give
equally ignorant people the green light to subject their dogs to abuse. In turn
these dogs will react even more defensively, will bite more people – and end up
dead.”
In a 2006 article in the New York Times, Mark Derr called
Milan’s program a “pack of lies.” He points out the sexist angle of Millan’s
training.
“Women are the worst offenders in his world. In one of the
outtakes included in the four-DVD set of the first season of Dog Whisperer, Mr.
Millan explains that a woman is ‘the only species that is wired different from
the rest.’ And a ‘woman always applies affection before discipline,’ he says.
‘Man applies discipline then affection, so we’re more psychological than
emotional. All animals follow dominant leaders; they don’t follow lovable
leaders.'”
In a 2011 blog article by the Huffington Post titled “First
Do No Harm,” Law and Order actor and “dog worshiper” Richard Belzer calls out
National Geographic for sponsoring Millan.
“The fact that the Dog Whisperer has been nominated for an
Emmy should give serious pause to all those in the business who are about to
vote for the awards. Dog owners and dog lovers would be disturbingly misled if
Mr. Millan and his program are honored in such a high-profile way.”
Chiming in with countless other statements, Dr. Nicholas
Dodman, a professor and the head of Animal Behavior at Tufts University, wrote,
“Cesar Millan’s methods are based on flooding and punishment. The results,
though immediate, will be only transitory. His methods are misguided, outmoded,
in some cases dangerous, and often inhumane. You would not want to be a dog
under his sphere of influence. The sad thing is that the public does not
recognize the error of his ways. My college thinks it is a travesty. We’ve
written to National Geographic Channel and told them they have put dog training
back 20 years.”
The recent episode where the pig was attacked is not the
first time that animal professionals have waved the red flag about Millan. The
question is, will National Geographic finally take notice?
Update:
In a report by Fox News, Cesar Millan stated that the
public’s reaction to the pig incident was overblown.
“I do have a large group of fans and a small group of
people who don’t agree with me. They are taking this the wrong way and blowing
it way out of proportion.”
Watch the pig-biting incident in this video by Inside
Edition.
Before they wrap up a probe into allegations of animal
cruelty involving “dog whisperer” Cesar Millan, Los Angeles County animal
control officials want to see the pot-bellied pig that was attacked by a French
bulldog mix during a TV episode.
Investigators also want the names of everyone who appeared
on the Feb. 26 episode of National Geographic Wild’s “Cesar 911” show.
Then they will decide whether the canine-on-swine-related
violence rises to the level of a crime, officials said Friday.
“We know what we saw, and if you saw the entire video, then
you know what we know,” said Aaron Reyes, deputy director for the County of
L.A. Department of Animal Care and Control. “There’s no question that what happened.
A dog under Cesar Millan’s control escaped and attacked another live animal, in
this case a pot-bellied pig.”
In a statement, National Geographic Wild does not dispute
that the French bulldog mix, named Simon, attacked the pig during training. The
dog reportedly bit the pig in the ear, drawing blood. Later in the episode, the
same pig appears to be leashed to the dog on a walk around a pen in an attempt
to train it to co-exist with pigs – which was a big problem for Simon.
But Reyes said context is important in investigating
allegations of animal cruelty, which were lodged Thursday by an animal rights
activist who saw the episode.
“The dog that was in question, that Cesar was attempting to
train, broke away from him in the video, and immediately charged the pig. Now,
what we’re hearing from the [complaining party] is that the biggest concern is
someone had that pig, a male adult was holding one of those pigs, those rear
legs, and holding the pig up, which made the pig squeal, which made the dog
into a frenzy. And it immediately charged at that pig. And the dog attacked,”
Reyes said.
A petition was created on Change.org asking that “Dog Whisperer” Cesar Millan be taken off the air – and it has fueled a heated debate from supporters and detractors alike.
The petition states:
Cesar Millan has no formal behavior education. He cites discredited scientific studies as the basis for his methods. His methods create pain and fear, put the subject animal at risk, put people who attempt his methods at risk of physical harm and put other innocent animals at risk from the animals he has traumatized. What he does is abuse - not training.
There are many excellent behaviorists who could teach humane, intelligent methods through a program. National Geographic used to be known as an organization that advocated for humans, animals and the environment but by supporting Mr. Milan they have shown themselves to have sold out to popularity and cash.
Those who have signed the petition include animal lovers, dog trainers, and veterinarians. One signer wrote:
As a professional dog trainer I encounter numerous cases of benign behaviors which have, through the use of ‘what Cesar does on TV,’ become dangerous and pathological...
Another wrote:
I am a veterinarian and his training methods are barbaric, outdated, and arcane.
Yet another wrote:
As…someone who has spent the last seven years learning about the differences between positive and negative-reinforcement training, I implore you to remove this show from the air. We would welcome a program that deals with training from qualified dog trainers and behaviorists utilizing proven methods.
Supporters of Cesar Millan have stated on social media that Cesar is a steadfast animal advocate whose methods save lives. One supporter wrote:
Cesar has helped so many people save dogs that would have been destroyed and he is an advocate for pit bulls.
Another stated:
...anybody, that fights so hard for all dogs everywhere to be given correct care, proper love, support and discipline is to be adored...
A third supporter stated:
He has done more for raising awareness of how wonderful Pit bull type dogs can be than anybody else!
What do you think? Should the “Dog Whisperer” be taken off the air – or is this petition without merit?