MAITLAND, Fla. — The city of Maitland confirmed it rented a tiger for a Sunday Earth and Arbor Day event at Lake Lily Park while the Maitland Farmers' Market was in session.
It turns out that exhibiting a tiger is allowed by both the state and the federal government.
Owners of tigers need a Class 1 permit or license and need to be a United States Department of Agriculture licensed exhibitor.
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Although the exhibition of a tiger is legal, many tiger owners Channel 9 spoke with said few owners exhibit tigers for reasons including public pushback and transportation costs.
The city of Maitland said it paid an event company in Winter Park $3,200 for an animal package. It included a tiger in a roll cage with an animal handler. It also provided other animals, including a capuchin monkey, snakes and parrots for petting and observation.
The city and the event planner said the tiger is a rescued animal and on hand for educational reasons, but the city did not say who owns the tiger.
The event company refused to disclose to Channel 9 the identity of the tiger's owner.
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