A trainer was attacked by an angry bear during a performance in front of hundreds of terrified children and parents.

During a circus show, a bear attacked a trainer in front of hundreds of children and parents, nearly killing him.

"After the incident, Nikita Mikhailov, head of the Moretti Circus, told reporters that towards the end of the act, the bear snapped at Sergei and wrestled with him. Despite this, their performance continued."

At the circus in Russia, Donut, a female brown bear weighing approximately 490 pounds, leaped at her trainer, Sergei Prichinich, while on a hoverboard.

The bear pinned Prichinich to the ground and snapped at him for about half a minute before a worker outside the cage prodded the bear and allowed the trainer to get back to his feet.

According to East2West, Mikhailov observed that the tamer waited for the bear to calm down, got up, continued the routine with her, sealed it with a kiss, and the show continued as usual.

The bear, in a video released on Telegram, attacked a stick held by the trainer to protect himself, but once the worker poked her, she ceased her aggression and left him alone.

Prichinich was commended by Mikhailov for maintaining composure and enabling Donut to express her anger.

"Mikhailov stated that animals can behave differently, may not like something, and express their emotions in various ways, which every trainer comprehends."

Yuri Koretskikh, a Russian animal rights campaigner, pointed out that although the incident concluded safely, it could have resulted in a catastrophe, and he advocated for a prohibition on live animal shows.

The Russian circus lobby is actively resisting progress in the modern world circus art, which is rapidly moving towards banning the use of animals in circuses, according to Koretskikh.

In recent years, animal rights have been a prominent issue in Russia, prompting President Vladimir Putin to sign a bill prohibiting animal cruelty in 2018, as reported by TASS.

Animal performances were not included in the law, which has prompted animal rights activists to continue their advocacy efforts.

In 2023, the Russian parliament, the Duma, proposed a bill to prohibit the use of circus animals in the country. The bill was approved by the lower chamber in October, as reported by Russian outlet Vet and Life.

The bill's co-authors, Alexey Nechaev and Vladislav Davankov, emphasized the need to safeguard the well-being of animals used in circus shows, drawing attention to instances of severe animal mistreatment in these settings.

In 2022, the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office reported 116 cases of illegal use and 48 cases of animal cruelty in a review of over 500 animal shelters.