PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (WATE) — A former employee of Goldrush Stables in Pigeon Forge has been indicted by a grand jury after a TikTok video showed a horse being whipped.

David Allen Whaley has been charged with one count of cruelty to animals.

According to court documents, it is believed that Whaley “unlawfully, intentionally or knowingly tortured or maimed animals in the custody of Gold Rush Stables.”

In 2022, the Pigeon Forge Police Department was made aware of a TikTok video of a horse being whipped at the stables and responded to the business to investigate. Investigators found that the video was recorded in May 2022.

Whaley was accused of being the person in the video and was soon arrested. He was fired from the business following the arrest.

Goldrush Stables issued a statement after the video was posted and said that policies are being implemented to prevent any similar incidents from occurring again.