Trainer of the tiger from 'Life of Pi' booked for animal cruelty

Michael Hackenberger, the Life of Pi tiger Richard Parker's trainer has been charged guilty by the animal rights group PETA for whipping a Siberian tiger in his care.

The Bowmanville Zoo owner, in December 2015, was filmed whipping the young tiger 19 times, reports TMZ.com.

Ontario's Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) on April 13, after reviewing the Bowmanville Zoo thoroughly, filed charges against Hackenberger with five counts of animal cruelty. He was also charged for failing to comply with the animal care standards required by law.

The SPCA, who has the right to remove animals and file charges in Canada, presently is closely monitoring Hackenberger's zoo.

According to PETA, they are happy that Hackenberger is charged and hopes this ends his 'torment of animals made to suffer for human entertainment.'

Hackenberger, in response, has accused PETA of fabricating the footage. He has also dispted the claim that he was viciously whipping the tiger. "I got him twice. But after that, every whip of the whip you see, I do not strike the animal," told NBC News.

He adds, "A tiger will not lay on the ground and allow itself to be struck, as this videotape suggests. They'll turn around and they'll try to kill you. That's not what we're about."

If the charges are proved, Hackenberger faces a maximum sentence of two years in jail, $66,000 fine and a possible lifetime ban on owning an animal.

(With ANI inputs)