There's a tiger in town... but it has permission

German police have told an employee of a Russian circus group that he can take his tigers for walks as long as the authorities are notified in advance.

The 30-year-old man caused a stir in the northern German village of Ratzeburg on Sunday when a woman called police to report a man walking a tiger cub outside of town.

The man, who is from a nearby village, works for a Russian circus group that is now on a break in the Netherlands and was charged with looking after three grown tigers and a cub.

The tigers are housed in a specially secured trailer, in individual cages and monitored accordingly.

The man was also granted a temporary permit to house the tigers in the trailer, police said.

"Due to the mixed feelings among residents, the police request that the 30-year-old man inform them when he takes (the tigers) on walks, even when it's 'only' the small cub," police said in a statement on Monday.

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