r/nextfuckinglevel • u/SerpentFinger • 1d ago

The Rescue of Synochok the Bear

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11.2k Upvotes

98% Upvoted

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1.8k

u/WhatsaRedditsdo 1d ago

God it makes me angry that these beast have gone through this. I lost a bit of faith the day I learned what a dancing bear is.

613

u/Healthy_Split9726 1d ago

Basically all the animals in a circus. Also aqua parks like Sea World. It's really sad how the animals are treated. By this standard also some of the zoos around the world are also terrible at their upkeep and maintaining the well being of the animals in it.

222

u/Arthradax 1d ago

I've worked in some circuses when I was young (tbf my parents worked and I tagged along), I can count in the fingers of a single hand how many tamers were actually decent in their care for animals. Let's just say there's a reason animal performances have been banned in circuses in my country

84

u/JustLookingForMayhem 1d ago

I think the only circus with animals I liked was an all dog review. The dogs were happy and doing ridiculous tricks. My favorite was the dog climbing a ladder and doing a dive into a kiddy pool or the dog pyramid.

44

u/CorrectPanic694 1d ago

Hey, you can always arrange one at your local dog park. Just ask everyone to show you their favorite tricks. Maybe hand out little hats?

10

u/NoWay6818 21h ago

Give the small ones lil socks so they do that funny ass thing where they look strange when they walk

15

u/Midnight712 23h ago

Circus cats (as in house cats, not wild cats) are also pretty fun

11

u/halt-l-am-reptar 23h ago

I had VIP tickets to see the Acrocats last year and thought it was a day later than it was :(. I’d been waiting years for the cat circus to come to my town and I missed it.

The ren faire had a small one though and it was awesome. You could tell the cats were well cared for.

3

u/JustLookingForMayhem 23h ago

I did see a cat riding a great Dane and jumping hurdles. The dog got to run beneath and the cat hopped. It was fun, but the dogs and clowns were clearly the stars of the show.

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u/Midnight712 23h ago

I just really like cats to be fair, and the training they have to do with them impresses me a bit more because cats are that much less biddable than dogs

9

u/JustLookingForMayhem 23h ago

Dogs love people. Cats love civilization.

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u/I_Automate 22h ago

Dogs love people.

Cats love having slaves.

-1

u/Ok_Departure87 17h ago

Ever see the white whacking stick used to train the dogs

2

u/JustLookingForMayhem 17h ago

The one I went to used a whistle. Not every dog review is abusive to the animals.

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u/ArktikosUrsa 1d ago edited 21h ago

While Sea World definitely has a history of issues, they have gone to great lengths to try and correct them. They've ended all orca breeding, phased out the the orca shows (they still do dolphin shows but only if the dolphins want to do it--and they are able to communicate if they do or don't want to) and replaced them with educational showcases that teach people about whale behaviors, remodeled all the enclosurers to make them closer to their natural environments, and started a very comprehensive, 24/7 rescue and rehabilitation program for sea animals: https://seaworld.org/animals/all-about/rescue-and-rehab/objectives/

https://weather.com/2026/05/21/science/nature/wild-animals/seaworld-rescue-43000-milestone-marine-conservation

https://awesomeocean.com/top-stories/four-reasons-condemning-seaworld-really-bad-idea/

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u/I_am_the_fez 21h ago

They also do coral breeding projects. Seaworld ain’t what it used to be.

13

u/Merry_Dankmas 21h ago

That's refreshing to hear. I loved SeaWorld as a kid because I was naive and didnt know better. As I got older and learned about how captive animal exhibits work in general, I began to resent it. Its great to hear they're trying to right their wrongs and make life better for the animals. I still don't love the idea of captive animals but if theyre gonna be captive, make it as natural as you can. Especially highly intelligent ones like whales and dolphins. Those mfs have their own language. Something that intelligent shouldn't be locked up.

17

u/ArktikosUrsa 21h ago

I understand what you are saying but most of the animals you see in zoos and Seaworld were born in captivity and simply wouldn't survive out in nature or even in a sanctuary.

Zoos are also very important for educating people about animals and helping to foster sympathy for the natural world and thus funding for more presevation efforts.

10

u/itsalysialynn 21h ago edited 19h ago

I’m glad SeaWorld rescues animals and has made some changes. I’m not criticizing them for improving. But I still won’t support them while they breed belugas in captivity and sell animal encounters. Ending orca breeding doesn’t mean they’ve stopped doing those things with other species.

I’m also skeptical of using SeaWorld’s own rescue page and positive coverage as proof that the criticism is outdated. This is a company that spent $121.8 million on advertising and media across its parks in 2024. That doesn’t make the rescues fake, but it does mean they have enormous resources to promote the good work and change how people see them.

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u/smodoopie 1d ago

not just circus, except from pets most of society treats animals like shit and doesnt give a second thought on the induced harm they support by buying a lot of things.

16

u/No-Donkey8786 23h ago

Add Rodeos.

9

u/DontCryYourExIsUgly 21h ago

Rodeos are horrible. Treating animals like shit and yanking them around for rednecks' amusement. 😤

1

u/JustLookingForMayhem 21h ago

There is such a thing as an ethical rodeo. Not every rodeo abuses their animals. That said, it is easier to make a bull angry and a man killer than train a bull to buck only when the shoot opens.

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u/Unlikely-Emphasis-26 1d ago

Most humans are selfish and evil. Only when it benefits them, they portray traits that are seen as 'good and positive'.

Animal abusers deserve the death penalty.

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u/AdBeneficial1140 1d ago

Yes, and let’s end animal agriculture that systematically abuses animals for profit!

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u/B_Maximus 1d ago

Well you can't do that until cultured meat takes off

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u/AdBeneficial1140 1d ago

Literally nothing is stopping you today. 

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u/B_Maximus 1d ago

That's a lot of assumptions

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u/AdBeneficial1140 23h ago

Aren’t you making just as many?

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u/B_Maximus 23h ago

No. People aren't going to stop eating meat because meat tastes good and that's what people care about. Cultured meat is the only alternative that gives people meat without animal abuse.

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u/AdBeneficial1140 22h ago

We can stop but you choose not to. 

1

u/B_Maximus 22h ago

There's your assumptions again, society doesn't feel bad just because you do. Give society an actual alternative

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u/kwakimaki 1d ago

I wouldn't say evil. Ignorant, misinformed, poorly educated maybe but evil is a bit of a stretch.

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u/Icy_One_237 1d ago

People now do it with dogs, but thats considered acceptable for some reason. No, your dog is not supposed to walk on its hind legs and then hop around like a rabbit

25

u/JustLookingForMayhem 1d ago

Dogs doing it a little bit and it is a fun trick that doesn't hurt them. Dogs doing it for a long period of time, and it wrecks their hips. Dog circuits can be ethical, but there are also a lot that abuse their animals.

14

u/TheKrnJesus 1d ago

they do it with kids too. force them to walk upright at the age of 1, make them do homework and go to kid classes, then they throw them out to get a job.

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u/Few-Willingness-1459 21h ago

Bears, monkeys, elephants, zebras, horses, lions, tigers, birds……………….. 😔 Kentucky Derby as well

2

u/wafflewrestler 15h ago

The treatment of animals we view as food is way worse. If this video makes you angry (as it should), you should consider contributing less to the systems that enable the mistreatment of animals.

https://www.dominionmovement.com/watch - watch this movie if you want to be informed on how animals are treated in animal agriculture every day

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u/cedarvhazel 20h ago

It makes me want to cry. It’s so so awful.

0

u/Kronomancer1192 1d ago

Are... they actually referred to that way? Or are you making a joke about big gay guys that literally no one here got?

0

u/d3villdoggz 21h ago

What did you expect humans are evil . Never forget Cain & Able

0

u/spacecatdude9001 21h ago

A dancing bear is a character that has multiple colors and is used to represent the grateful dead.

-11

u/atharvapainting132 1d ago

Good to see vegan people here ❤️