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At a circus in Yuncheng, in the Chinese Shanxi province, a lioness was being forced to jump through hoops. It was seen to be visibly upset, obviously, and lashed out at the worker. As the show went on, the lioness became more agitated and attacked the circus performer.
As the lioness became more uncomfortable, it eventually stopped performing. A circus worker outside the cage tried to prod the big cat into action, but that ended up badly for them. Audience members saw the lioness reach out, and grab hold of the employee by the arm.
She then proceeded to drag him into the cage. As she used her might to pull the worker, he began to lose his balance and slide towards the dangerous animal. The audience lost its cool, realizing that this was not a part of the show. As the lioness attacked the worker, screams could be heard, and the crowd started to run.
Other employees responded by further prodding the big cat, making it even angrier. Staff cleared out the audience, and put the necessary safety measures in place.
Circus Apologizes For Lioness Attack
Using animals in a circus is wrong, especially an animal like this. Anyone forcing a lioness to jump through hoops and keeping it in a cage deserves to be attacked.
The circus apologized to the audience about the attack on the employee. They reassured everyone that the worker wasn't hurt and only had some clothing torn. The attack was a shock, but no injury was sustained.
They spoke about the incident, saying, "The lion has no large teeth, so it wasn't dangerous. The handler wasn't hurt - just a torn shirt." It is a shame the lioness is kept in a cage and attacked with sticks when it shows its discomfort. Really, it is no surprise it lashes out when forced to perform.
Many countries have outlawed performing animals due to their inherent cruelty. However, China, along with several other countries, still permits it. The animals are often kept in very unpleasant conditions and forced to perform for their food.
