Moment, while performing at a family circus show, a big cat trainer is devastated by a TIGER when the animal pulls him to the ground and bites his neck
- Shocking footage shows the moment Ivan Orfei, 31, was attacked by the cat
- Tiger snuck up next to his Master and bit his leg before pulling him down
- The trainer escaped with non-life-threatening injuries when animal rights groups called for a ban on the use of animals in circus shows
A major cat trainer in Italy was attacked by a pair of tigers during a family circus show in the Italian province of Lecce on Thursday night.
Shocking footage shows the moment Ivan Orfei, 31, was attacked by one of the hulking cats that snuck up beside him while he was teaching his companion surbo during a performance at the Marina Orfei Circus.
The tiger dragged the trainer to the ground by the leg before circling him and leaping onto his back and biting his helpless master’s neck.
Ivan was taken to the Vito Fazzi hospital in Lecce with deep wounds to his neck, leg and arm from the cat during the show, but he escaped life-threatening injuries and was later released.
The tiger was isolated after the show to undergo veterinary tests. It is not clear if it will be knocked down as a result of the attack.
At first the tiger is calm and follows the commands of its master, who directs it with a stick
A statement posted on Facebook yesterday by the circus management read: “Our world is made of great love for animals, as Ivan himself demonstrates to the public in his shows.
“Tigers are fascinating animals and taming them and building a relationship of trust with humans is an art that has not only taken place in the circus world for centuries.
“However, accidents can happen and the bravery of people like him in this profession is commendable.”
The post continued, “Ivan, a very talented professional trainer, was hit by a tiger during the show and fortunately suffered minor injuries and his condition is not a cause for concern.”
But the cat then sinks its fangs into the trainer’s leg and pulls him down before circling behind him and biting his neck
The International Organization for the Protection of Animals (OIPA) said the attack was evidence that a national law banning circus acts involving wild animals should be implemented.
OIPA, an NGO affiliated with several UN bodies, has been calling on various governments for years to reform the law on the use of animals for entertainment purposes.
The President of the NGO, Massimo Comparotto, said in a statement: “Behind the exercises of the circus show lie months of deprivation, abuse and suffering. It’s no wonder episodes like this happen.
Comparotto added: “Animals performing in circuses live in captivity behind bars, with limited space and under constant stress. They live lives that go against their nature, and sometimes they rebel
“What happens to the animals that attack the circuses? What is their protection?’