Vitaliy Smolyanets

Cat Trainer

Vitaliy Smolyanets was born in 1973 in Khartsyzsk, in the Donetsk region of Ukraine. He joined the circus when he was 24 years old, and became an assistant animal trainer before becoming an animal trainer himself. He made his debut in the ring as a full-fledged cat trainer(English/American) An trainer or presenter of wild cats such as tigers, lions, leopards, etc. in 2005, when he was 32 years old. In March 2013, Vitaliy took part in the 6th International Festival of Circus Arts in Izhevsk, Russia, with his attraction(Russian) A circus act that can occupy up to the entire second half of a circus performance., The Lioness Empire, and won the coveted Russian Golden Bear.

On February 9, 2015, while he was performing in Tver, Vitaliy was driving in the region when he saw the scene of a car accident; he stopped his vehicule and went to see how he could help the victims, when a truck driver who didn't see the accident scene in time, lost control of his vehicle and rolled over Vitaliy. As a result, Vitaliy was amputated of both legs.

In July 2015, Vitaliy Smolyanets was awarded by his fellow cat trainer(English/American) An trainer or presenter of wild cats such as tigers, lions, leopards, etc., Nikolai Pavlenko, the Master award of Best Animal Trainer at the first Master awards ceremony in Sochi, Russia. Yet, Vitaliy, in spite of his debilitating accident, didn't consider his career to be over: On December 19, 2015, fitted with artificial legs and walking with two canes, he returned to the cage with his lion and tiger act at the State Circus of Rostov.

Vitaliy Smolyanets is married to horse trainer Inna Asayeva; together they have a son, Vitaliy.

See Also

• Video: Vitaliy Smolyanets, cage act, at the State Circus of Tver (2014)
• Video: Vitaliy Smolyanets's return to the cage at the State Circus of Rostov (December 19, 2015)