SYNOPSIS

As populations of tigers in the wilds of Asia and India dwindle dangerously close to extinction, thousands of highly inbred “American” tigers are being kept and bred by private individuals in the United States. The phenomenon is so extensive, that experts now believe there are more tigers in private captivity in the U.S. than there are in the wild in the world. This one-hour, character driven documentary follows the story of one man who has been keeping, breeding, and selling Bengal tigers from his backyard for over fifteen years.

Tigers are at once occupation, avocation and obsession for Dennis H. To say that his life has revolved around his cats would be no exaggeration. He claims to know exactly what they’re thinking by the look in their eyes. Now, he’s lost the USDA license that allows him to keep exotic animals, and the state of Indiana is threatening to shut him down. He has just five days to find alternate homes for all but three of his brood and to bring his facilities up to code – or else lose what he considers to be his life’s work.

As the film follows Dennis' fight to keep his tigers, his saga is intercut with news reports about tiger accidents and exotic animal crimes occurring across the United States. The stories of: a full grown tiger kept in a Harlem apt, a woman killed by one of her own tigers in Minnesota, and a black market tiger meat business in Chicago put Dennis’ story in a larger context. By weaving material together in this way, the film draws compelling connections between breeders like Dennis H. and the near epidemic of private tiger-keeping in the United States. In so doing, it illuminates the shocking extent of a national problem.

Produced and directed by an award-winning crew, The Tiger Next Door lends a fascinating glimpse into a dangerous American hobby, and offers a compelling, thought-provoking meditation on the perennial human desire to master what is wild.