MOSCOW, May 17 (RIA Novosti/The Moscow News) – Hidden camera footage apparently depicting Russian circus trainers beating monkeys with a stick has sparked outrage on the Internet and among animal rights activists.
The 11-minute video starts by showing monkeys getting hit repeatedly – it seems while being trained to do tricks. Other sections of the expletive-ridden footage show kangaroos, poodles and an ostrich getting kicked and also beaten with sticks.
The Vita Animal Rights Center posted the video on YouTube about a month ago, and claims the abuse took place at the St. Petersburg Circus between 2012-2013.
The campaign group names the trainers allegedly involved. Neither they, nor the deputy director of the circus were available for comment when contacted on Friday by The Moscow News.
However, a spokesperson for the St Petersburg Circus told Russian online tabloid Life News that the footage was not connected to their circus.
Read more on The Moscow News.