‘Ever seen a bear with an umbrella?’: Boozy trainer Grant hit back at critics (Picture: CEN)

A boozy animal trainer has lashed out at critics who say his bear should be taken away from him after he left it tied to a lamppost – so he could go and get drunk.

Ukrainian animal trainer Gennadiy Grant was roundly condemned after pictures emerged of the animal tied up in the rain in Carcer, Valencia.

But Grant, who had been hired by council officials for a local festival, has incredibly defended his actions.

‘Of course I left it in the rain,’ he said.


‘Has anybody seen a bear with an umbrella? Perhaps the critics would be happier if I put it in the car?

Pictures of the bear first circulated a week ago (Picture: Twitter)

‘It was perfectly okay there it wasn’t a danger to anyone. I often have photographs taken with him and children and there is never a problem.’



Spanish animal rights group FAADA were unconvinced by his response however, saying that the law required the bear to be kept in an environment as natural as possible and the bear’s struggle to free itself from the lamppost had alarmed locals.

The Spanish Civil Guard’s Nature Protection Service received a formal complaint from the animal rights group and are investigating.

43-year-old Grant said he had originally been given the bear as a present by a fellow animal trainer, who had in turn purchased the bear from another man – for two bottles of vodka.