Circus tiger convulses and collapses after jumping through rings of fire as handlers accused of animal cruelty

A tigress collapsed in convulsions in a circus ring seconds after jumping through rings of fire in front of horrified families.



The brother and sister who handle the six-year-old big cat called Zena have denied claims of animal cruelty and defended their actions, saying they feared a bloodbath.



Artur Bagdasarov said he and his sister Karina were worried the six other tigers would attack the fallen animal at the circus in Magnitogorsk, Russia.



He dragged the tigress by her tail to move her away from the edge of the ring as buckets of water were emptied on the Siberian big cats, and denied using a stun gun.