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Malibu Parents Don't Want Tigers Moving In Next Door
Malibu might soon be home to five white Siberian tigers. (Photo by Tatiana Morozova/Shutterstock)
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Some folks in an upscale Malibu neighborhood are upset that they might soon have tigers as their next-door neighbors.
Deer Creek-area property owner Irena Hauser has applied for a conditional use permit to open a tiger training facility, CBS News reports.
The plan is to house five white Siberian tigers who would be trained to work in the entertainment industry, all behind a 2,300 foot-long fence.
Last month, the county decided that the facility would not negatively impact the environment, according to CBS.
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Residents, however, disagree. "I think it sets a dangerous precedent for any neighborhood in Southern California where you introduce wild animals…predators into a residential neighborhood,” said Dan Bercu.
His wife, Nanette Bercu, said she’s concerned for her kids, one of whom is a toddler. "The last thing I want to worry about is if a tiger is going to get loose. One mistake by a human and a tiger can get loose. No one can predict that. No one can secure us from that. And there’s no insurance for that."
Dan Bercu was worried that the tigers might be unsupervised at times. "The owners are absentee. They live in Beverly Hills, so there’s no way they’re going to be here 24/7," he said.
The facility still needs to be approved by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife as well as federal and state officials, KCAL9 reports.
Hauser's tigers have been featured in dozens of commercials and a rap video for 50 Cent, according to The Daily Mail, which ran photos of Hauser with tiger Geera at Malibu beach in 2007.
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