Outrage After Bear Forced to Play Instrument for Rowdy World Cup Crowds

A bear playing a musical instrument in a parade sounds like a scene from a cartoon or a fairytale. But after the opening World Cup match, an animal exhibitor in Russia forced a real bear to ride through Moscow in an open truck playing a horn and performing other tricks to entertain Russian soccer fans while they celebrated.

At one point in the video, the bear’s paws seem to cover his or her face, possibly in an attempt to cope with the raucous crowd, honking cars, and blasting horns creating a loud, stressful environment around him or her.

PETA Germany has contacted Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin to urge him to identify the bear’s owner, confiscate the animal, and ensure his or her transfer to a reputable sanctuary.

Bears used in performances are usually carted from venue to venue inside cramped cages, and trainers typically whip, beat, or otherwise torment them in order to teach them to obey out of fear. Captive-bear displays are dangerous for humans, too. Bears can run up to 40 miles per hour, and those who have been denied everything that’s natural and important to them have been known to lash out in frustration by biting, attacking, and mauling handlers and members of the public.

As PETA Germany works to track down this bear’s owner, you can help rescue more captive bears from abusive exhibitors. Once you’ve taken action for one bear, the opportunity to help another will pop up. You can speak up for all of them. With your help, PETA has rescued 72 bears from traveling acts and roadside zoos and had them placed in reputable sanctuaries. And together, we can ensure that no other bears are exploited for humans’ fleeting amusement again.