This is the 21st century. I’m not pushing a wheelbarrow. You get me an electric cart to drive.
Same here. Good for the bear.
Looked like more of a confrontation over who was going to lead in the dance. I’d say, the bear won.
I always shake my head in a sad, resigned way when friends or colleagues try to make a 600 pound bear push a wheelbarrow for them. “Why don’t you just do it yourself? It’s not worth the risk!” I implore them. And 9 out of 10 times ... well you just saw what I’ve had to watch over and over and over.
Evidently, it was a unionized bear on break.
Was that other guy kicking the bear while getting out his phone? :: “oh!, gotta get this on WoldStar!”::
bear
+1
“Boris the Bear has about had it with performing in this silly little circus. “Push your own,GD wheelbarrow, Comrade!
Next person telling me to push these toys around get’s a BearClaw choker necklace, with me attached to it!!”
Maybe the bear was thinking...”My instinct is telling me I should be shittin in the woods right now”
> I’m having a hard time finding any sympathy for this trainer.
A few thoughts from somebody who has kinda been there & done that...
I spent a few weeks back in the early 70s as a roustabout with the Shiner’s Circus and on one occasion the bear trainer needed some help getting a somewhat recalcitrant critter out of his cage. “All you have to do is get behind him and push” So I did and the bear went down the ladder. I also got to be on station at ringside to move props in and out of the ring during the act. The bears seemed to enjoy themselves and, while I kept situational awareness I also did not feel any unusual level of danger. All the bears were well treated and all were fitted with muzzles. I would not be surprised if the Russian bear was as well. In fact, I would not be surprised if the bear in question was not mad or angry at the trainer but decided to have a little fun, albeit at an inappropriate time.
My other chance to get up close and personal with a member of the Ursine family was a few years later when I wrasseld “Victor the Wrestling Bear” at the local Sportsman’s Show. Victor weighed in at around 650 lbs, same as the Russian bear and was also muzzled. We danced around for a while, almost exactly like the Russian bear did in the video and then Victor hit me with a forearm across my chest. The arm had so much padding and fur that it felt like a gentle gust of wind picked me up off my feet and sent me flying six feet across the ring. I was down on my knees when Victor came over and put his arms on my shoulders. In spite of this I was able to get to my feet and the match ended in a draw. I came away from the match with a cool story to tell and Victor was rewarded with a bottle of Pepsi which he chugged down in one long series of gulps. At the end of the video the other trainer is seen kicking the Russian bear trying to get him to stop. While it may look inhumane and got the bear’s attention I assure one and all that the bear was probably thinking “Is that the best you’ve got ?”
One further observation. While the trainers all respected their animals, Lions and Tigers and Bears, oh my, the only trainer who was outright scared schifless was the Chimp handler. They were totally unpredictable and could pick a grown man up by the scuff of the neck and throw him across the room. We were warned multiple times to be extra careful anytime we were around the chimps.
I was cleaning gutters and siding on the back of my house one day. It was a bit hotter than usual, which I think is why about a dozen deer, who I’d normally only see roaming around at night, were just lying down in the grass staring at me and not lifting a finger.
Bastards.
That bear has a really nice, shiny coat. You don’t see that on them in the woods.
The bear seemed miffed, then the trainer glanced away for a second, looking vulnerable.
Good.
The bear has a right to defend itself. Stop torturing bears and this won’t happen.
Whats crazy is the bear could easy go into the audience after being pizzed off.
I’m having a hard time finding any sympathy for this trainer.
You need to read the story. The trainer that was mauled did not train the bear nor did he work for the circus the bear was trained at. He was a guest performer/trainer. He blames the circus for mistreating the bear.
‘Don’t taze me Bro!’