April 17 – Animal welfare groups have condemned footage of a Russian performing bear delivering the ball to a referee before a third division match between Mashuk-KMV and Angusht in Pyatigorsk.
The brown bear was led on to the edge of the pitch as the teams prepared for kick-off and is then seen clapping to fans while standing on its hind legs.
“In addition to being inhumane and utterly out of touch, using a bear as a captive servant to deliver a football is downright dangerous,” Elisa Allen, director of animal welfare charity Peta, said amid concerns that similar stunts might be used at the World Cup.
“The bear is the symbol of Russia, so we hope the country’s people will show some compassion and national pride and stop abusing them. Common decency should compel the league to pull this stunt.”
It is not known if the bear in the video had his teeth or claws removed but PETA said the incident highlights the cruel exploitation methods known to occur in Russia such as “beatings, electric shocks and food deprivation” that are used to make bears perform “belittling, stupid tricks”.
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