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Tiger cub in a zoo (icon image)
Photo: Boris Roessler / picture alliance / dpa
The young man tenderly put his arm around the big cat crouching on a heater, he proudly looks into the camera: The Instagram post of a Berlin clan member with a tiger cub caused a large-scale police operation in Neukölln.
According to rbb, the incident happened on Tuesday evening.
A total of 90 emergency services and a special task force were involved in the search for the animal.
However, when the police arrived, the tiger was already gone.
According to consistent reports, the Circus Berolina from Schönefeld in Brandenburg had awarded the predator for a performance at a party.
"He's fine," said a spokeswoman for the circus family on Thursday.
As the "Tagesspiegel" reported, the animal had been booked for a photo shoot.
Veterinary office to check tiger rental
The photo could have consequences.
Among other things, it must be clarified whether there have been violations of the Animal Welfare Act, said a spokeswoman for the Neukölln district.
According to the "Tagesspiegel", the veterinary office of the Dahme-Spreewald district was informed.
A veterinarian should also be consulted during the examination.
According to the Berlin regulation on the keeping of "dangerous animals of wild species" a tiger may not be kept privately, said the spokeswoman.
Against this background, the extended family's villa was searched after the photos with the animal appeared on social media.
District justifies large-scale operation
There was a risk to public safety because it could not be ruled out that the animal would escape from the property, the district said.
There was also a risk of illegal animal trade.
The seven-month-old tiger was there for about 10 to 15 minutes, according to Circus Berolina.
"We haven't done anything wrong." Three keepers accompanied the animal.
According to the circus, it did not know that the date was a celebration of a well-known Arab clan.
"We'll be booked and then we'll go there," they said.
Several media had reported that a wedding was celebrated in the clan villa.
There has been a long-standing dispute about the villa.
The building and land belong to 77 properties that prosecutors confiscated in 2018.
According to the authorities, these were not bought with legal money.
In the case of the villa, it has now been finally decided that the state of Berlin is the owner.
The district of Neukölln had given notice to the family and set a deadline for moving out in 2021.
Since the clan did not vacate the villa, the district went to court.
fek/dpa
