Indianapolis International Film Festival 2009

Experts estimate that there are now more tigers in private captivity in the USA than there are in the wild. 24 of them live in Dennis H.'s backyard, in Flat Rock, Indiana. Dennis is an ex-biker, recovering meth-addict, convicted felon and long time keeper and breeder of exotic animals. But now, after a surprise government inspection, he’s lost the license that allowed him to keep captive wild 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 Dennis fights to hold on to his tigers over the days and months that follow, The Tiger Next Door follows him ( and his neighbors, supporters and opponents from around Indiana) - exploring his motives, his past, and the curious, ethically-murky world he’s created in his backyard. At the same time, the film ranges far beyond Dennis’ animal compound, illuminating the connection between breeders like Dennis H, and the near-epidemic of wild animal keeping in the United States. U.S. Premiere