IN DEEP DOGGIE SUE-DO
Millan maul claim
“Dog Whisperer” Cesar Millan’s pit bull allegedly attacked a former “star gymnast,” leaving her unable to compete, according to a newly surfaced lawsuit.
The athlete, Lidia Matiss, also claims the dog fatally mauled Queen Latifah’s pooch — and that Millan, 52, tried to cover it up, according to TMZ.
Matiss alleged that the dog, named Junior, attacked her in 2017 when she was visiting her mom, who worked for the TV star, at a Los Angeles office building he owned, the outlet reported.
Matiss, who was then performing at the highest level in the USA Gymnastics Junior Olympics Programs, according to the report, encountered the dog roaming the hallway without a leash and was repeatedly bitten on her legs, her suit alleged.
The filing also claims that Junior had a history of attacking people and pooches. The dog allegedly killed one of Queen Latifah’s pooches after she brought it to Millan’s Dog Psychology Center in Santa Clarita, Calif. Millan then allegedly told his staff to lie and tell the actress that her dog had been fatally struck by a car, according to the suit, obtained by TMZ.
It was unclear from the report when the alleged fatal dog attack took place.
Millan claimed Matiss had as
sumed the risk of being bitten because she knew the dog was aggressive and dangerous, the outlet reported, citing court documents he filed in response to the lawsuit. He also reportedly claimed that Matiss herself was “negligent,” but did not specify how.
Court records show the suit was filed in January and both Millan and Matiss have moved to bring the matter to trial following a series of motions.
In 2016, Millan was cleared of animal-cruelty charges after a dog attacked a pig on camera in one of his taped training sessions.
Millan has a new series on National Geographic called “Better Human Better Dog,” which addresses the influx of dog adoptions during the pandemic. The show is filmed at the 45-acre California ranch where Matiss alleged Junior mauled Queen Latifah’s dog.