Shocking moment circus bear attacks handler and pins him down in front of live crowd

Warning: This article contains footage which some readers may find distressing

The shocking moment a circus bear attacked its handler and pinned him down during a live performance has resurfaced on social media.

In October 2019, a circus performance in Russia went horribly wrong in front of packed out audience in the northwest Russian Republic of Karelia.

As per Republic World, the stunt known as 'Clubfoot and the Garden Wheelbarrow' saw the bear carrying a wheelbarrow with a tent full of visitors, some of which were children.

The animal could then be seen strolling on the mat with its handler, but he was knocked to the ground as the bear took a swipe at him.

A horrified audience watched on, with some even making a run for it as the bear held the handler with his mouth.

Another member of the circus crew could then be seen kicking the bear in the shoulder, before the bear then returned to a clam state.

Thankfully, no one was hurt from the shocking incident - including the handler who was the owner of the bear - a circus spokeswoman told reporters.

The representative also confirmed the act had been removed from the show, telling reporters: "We made the decision to part ways with the artist following the incident, and the act will no longer be featured on the program.

"Nothing serious has happened; the bear and the artist are both fine; no one killed the bear because it was not at fault."

While the hair-raising moment may be five years old at this point, it has recently recirculated after being re-posted to Reddit in recent days.

The circus bear attacked the handler during a performance in Russia (Viralhog)

Many have flocked to the comments section of the viral Reddit post, with one person penning: "That bear didn't go crazy, that bear went bear. Push your own damn wheelbarrow."

While a second added: "People when they abuse animals, and find out, that the animals in fact, hold grudges."

Due to animal abuse and exploitation charges posed against circus acts in many years, some states in the US have even began banning acts involving wild or exotic animals at the circus.

It comes after an incident involving a circus bear on a hoverboard attacking a handler after pinning him to the ground went viral.

The brown bear, which is named Donut, pinned Sergei Prichinich to the ground and appeared to bite at a stick that he was holding. After a tense few moments on the ground Donut moved away and released Prichinich, who was able to get back to his feet.

If you see an animal in distress and/or in need of help, contact the RSPCA's 24-hour animal cruelty line on 0300 1234 999 or visit their website for further advice. In the US, call SPCA on 212-244-SPCA (7722) Monday – Friday 9am-5pm EST or call 9111 if a crime is in progress.