Lion And Tiger Voilently Attack A Horse In Circus Stunt Gone Wrong

#1

The incident, which took place in Cangzhou City, in China’s northern Hebei Province during a rehearsal. Mr Xu, a staff member from Taiyang Circus told btime.com that the crew were practising a show that a tiger and a lion riding a horse with a saddle on. Footage shows a tiger pounces on a white horse's back while a lion is biting the horse's legs as workers whipping the two wild animals in attempt to free the horse. It's said the horse survived and sustained minor injuries.

#2

Instead of cooperating as expected, the shocking footage opens with the lion viciously attacking the horse. While this happens, the lion is hit repeatedly with a whip as the circus trainers try to save the stricken horse.

A spokesman said,"The animals didn’t cooperate too well. The horse kicked the lion, which began biting it in return."

#3

However, the most shocking part of this incident was that the circus spokesman said that it was "normal". The show subsequently went ahead as planned, and there was no investigation into the animals’ welfare.

Mr Xu explained to the reporter that this is a law of nature,"Lions and tigers are wild animals. They are different from horse. You can see from documentaries that they eat cows. This is absolutely normal."

#4

Around four circus workers used whiplash and long poles to hit and beat the big cats until the horse was set free.

Mr Xu said,"He was not worried the staff member being attacked as the circus kept the lion and the tiger at young age. He is confident that there will have no danger to walk close to the animals."

#5

Web users commented on Weibo, a Chinese social media site, and requested the government to look into animal cruelty problems.

"Shut down the circus! This is too cruel to both wildlife and domestic animals!"

If in the past, circuses were a form of entertainment for families, last January, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) made a statement to bring The Big Top down forever.

"All other animal circuses, roadside zoos, and wild animal exhibitors, including marine amusement parks like SeaWorld and the Miami Seaquarium, must take note: society has changed, eyes have been opened, people know now who these animals are, and we know it is wrong to capture and exploit them."

#6

Keith Guo, PETA Asia press officer for China said,"It’s only a matter of time before captive animals lash out at their oppressor. Big cats in the circus suffer mentally and physically every single day. When they are not performing, they are confined in cramped, filthy cages and whips and beatings are used to force them to perform."

Despite the backlash, sadly, the circus will continue their shows as planned.

Check out the shocking footage below.