Nick Vanderwel and Destiny Duncan of Sarnia are hoping South Huron exempts them from the exotic animal by-law in place, so they can raise sibling lion clubs Pride and Joy on a property they intend to acquire.
The location is on Grand Bend line near the Motorplex and airfield, falling into South Huron’s jurisdictions but just a short drive away from the municipality of Lambton Shores.
The delegation to South Huron council comes on the heels of Lambton Shores being involved in a year-long public legal fight with Tammy and Mark Drysdale over their own large cats, with the courts recently ruling their retreat to be closed and the animals relocated.
Mayor George Finch tells myFM it’s his opinion that allowing this presents a danger to the public.
Both Vanderwel and Duncan clarified they have no intention of opening a zoo, they’re just seeking a place where Pride and Joy, which they adopted from the Drysdales, can live out their life.
They added they have plans to keep the lions in a pair of eight-foot tall chain-link fence enclosures, with 24/7 security and surveillance measures, on the property close to the Grand Bend Motorplex.
