‘Life of Pi’ Animal Trainer Cruelly Whips Tiger, Says He Enjoys It

PETA has released a video of Michael Hackenberger whipping a young tiger multiple times during a training session.

A still from the movie ‘Life of Pi’. (Photo Courtesy: Life of Pi Facebook Page)

The man behind training the beautiful tiger in Life of Pi and the animals in James Franco’s The Interview has been caught on camera whipping a tiger.

PETA released a video in which, Michael Hackenberger admits he enjoys whipping the animal. The sound is so jarring that you will cringe.

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.

During this sting operation by PETA, however, he didn’t know what he was in for. He said,

If we’d been running a videotape the whole time you were here, and you did a 45-second montage of the times I struck this animal, PETA would burn this place to the ground.

We are yet to receive a reaction from PETA.

Hackenberger is the owner of Bowmanville zoological Park in Bowmanville, Ontario.

Watch the full video here.