Cesar Millan, the 'Dog Whisperer,' investigated for animal cruelty

FILE- 'Dog whisperer' Cesar Millan poses for a photo during a press conference in Mexico City, Monday, Nov. 4, 2013. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

TV host Cesar Millan, known for rehabilitating unruly dogs on his hit shows 'Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan' and later, 'Cesar 911,' on NAT GEO is reportedly under investigation for possible animal cruelty.

Los Angeles County Animal Control officers visited the Santa Clarita, California, dog psychology center owned by Millan, 46 on Thursday following several inquiries about an episode where he trains a problematic Shar Pei, according to The Wrap.

Simon ripped off a pig's ear during the show under Millan's care.

According to news outlets in California, Millan has 24 hours to respond to investigators. He was not home at the time of the control officers' visit.

A NAT GEO spokesperson issued the following statement posted by The Wrap:

“Cesar Millan has dedicated his life to helping dogs and to showing how even the most difficult “problem dog” can be rescued and rehabilitated. In a recent episode of the Nat Geo WILD series “Cesar 911,” Cesar works with an aggressive French bulldog/terrier mix named Simon, who has a history of attacking other animals, including his owner’s pet potbellied 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. The clip caused some concern for viewers who did not see or understand the full context of the encounter."