by Amanda Froelich at trueactivist.com
Hollywood’s once-esteemed animal trainer, Michael Hackenberger, is under fire after video of him savagely beating a tiger was revealed to the world. 
According to The Tribune, Hackenberger supplied the tiger used in the Oscar-winning film Life of Pi. Anyone who has seen the movie likely fell in love with the majestic, wild creature, but, unfortunately, had no idea what abuse was inflicted upon the animal to get him to ‘behave’.
The animal trainer also supplied the animals used in James Franco’s film The Interview.
In the footage obtained by PETA (below), Hackenberger, who is the director of Bowmanville Zoological Park, can be seen hitting a tiger in the face repeatedly during a training session.
In the video, he can be heard telling the person recording, “I like hitting him in the face. And the paws – which get the paws off. And…the beauty of the paws being on the rock, when you hit him, it’s like a vice. It stings more.”
People know when they’re being cruel, and Hackenberger is no exception. He then tells the camera:
“If … we’d been running a videotape … of the times I struck this animal … PETA would burn this place to the ground.”
Thanks to the investigative efforts, the organization did just that.
In a statement, PETA wrote that the video shows Hackenberger “savagely beating a young Siberian tiger up to 20 times on the face and body with a whip.”
“PETA’s new video footage confirms that this is a pattern of behaviour Hackenberger has towards animals, and that when he’s out of the public eye, these outbursts can be accompanied by whippings,” PETA Foundation Deputy Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Brittany Peet said in a statement.
Since the release of the video, reports Ecorazzi, Hackenberger has issued a video response titled, “Our Response to PETA’s Lies.”
In the video, he states: “I do not strike this animal. I do not strike him. I strike the ground beside him.”
Credit: PETA
Despite his adamant defense, PETA is sticking with its side of the story.
In another statement, the animal rights organization stated:
“Michael Hackenberger was caught on camera repeatedly and viciously striking a young tiger who lay cowering on his back out of fear and discussing the most effective ways to hit animals, stating quite plainly, ‘I like hitting him in the face’ – yet Hackenberger lies even about having said this. Wild animals like Uno perform stressful and confusing tricks because they’re terrified that they’ll be beaten if they don’t. There is no excuse for beating an animal, any more than there is for hitting a child.”
This isn’t the first time Hackenberger has gotten into trouble for mistreating animals. In August, the trainer was faced with severe criticism when he swore at a baboon who fell off a pony during a live television stunt. He later apologized for the offensive language.
Bottom line: animals do not exist to entertain humans, and should not be abused or exploited for any reason.
What are your thoughts? Please comment below and share this news!
This article (Renowned Animal Trainer Caught On Film Beating “Life of Pi” Tiger) is free and open source. You have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to the author and TrueActivist.com
This hurts my heart 🙁
Hope he spends the rest of his life in prison! Wish he cold be whip 5-6 times a day. He deserves nothing… All his money he made off animals should be used to take care of them the rest of their life’s
When something like this is posted, it does no good unless you include information advising folks as to what step they should take to make a difference. How do we make sure this man is out of a job?
You can also google it, like I did 🙂 Although, this is no solution, is at least something.. PLEASE SIGN & SHARE! http://www.thepetitionsite.com/964/791/786/demand-that-michael-hackenberger-be-fired-prosecuted-and-banned-from-handling-animals/ and https://www.change.org/p/mcu-justice-gc-ca-prosecute-michael-hackenberger-for-cruelty-against-animals?source_location=petitions_share_skip
He should be made a public example and punished to the full extent of the law… He should get the strongest Misdemeanor Charges allowed by law and have to pay large fines as well… On a more personal note, they should duck tape him, pour blood and raw meat on him and let a bunch of lions tear him to shreds!!!!!
Arrest him immediately
I hope this poor excuse for a human being gets charged there is no reason to strike a animal other than to defend yourself.
Hopefully the tiger will just eat him….before Peta burns it to the ground.Which I hope they do. And why haven’t they yet…what’s the hold up. People like this shouldn’t have jobs working with animals.
I wish it was legal to FLOG the man who abused the tiget!
Some one should beat him with a whip and see how he likes it
Just don’t go to any attraction where wild animals like elephants, tigers, lions, etc. are exploited. If you just boycot these places then the show will stop and consequently these animals are saved.
No animal deserves this sort of treatment – he should be punished
This is unbearable to watch! How can anyone take this man’s side. He needs a heart jail tearm
This is how ALL animals used for human “entertainment” are treated. Did anyone think wild animals would “act” in the ways these animals act just because they wanted to? Horrible abuses are inflicted on circus animals, particularly elephants as babies, roadside zoos, Las Vegas shows. All of them. If you don’t like seeing animals treated this way, do not patronize any venue, including movies, that use animals.
This is Nothing compared to what happens in hollywood movies. from mediocre cheap movies like Star Wars to this kind of movies.. thats why Never ever watch Hollywood movies or u will be part of it. so dont blame if if yo enjoy watching trashy Hollywood movies…
This is disgusting.I hope PETA continue to investigate hom and can stop him working with animals.
I am a fire tiger in chinese astrology I challenge this pathetic excuse of a human being to come and do this to me. I will show him the claws of a tiger. Pathetic waste of a human. In hell you will burn. If you have any balls mr hackenberger. I will leave where I am on this mail. Come find me you coward. One day a tiger will rip your heart out of your chest. Come find this tiger in Barcelona adn try to whip me, ill shove it so far into your skin you wouldnt even believe you had it.
Poor Tiger… If this prick keeps it up nothing will stop that animal or any that he’s whipping like that from mauling that fucker to death, and that’s what he deserves for abusing the poor things.. You’re suppose to respect the creatures because they’ll respect you aswell..
I know a lot of people who think they are bad asses, if they are worth anything this asshole wont exist next year.