Why Did Animal Planet Host Get Big Fine for Oregon Treehouse?

Well, this has to be embarrassing! The host of a very popular Animal Planet TV series has been hit with a $5,000 fine by Oregon officials for building something that's featured on their show. The home was not much unlike this one pictured.

How many of you watch Animal Planet's 'Treehouse Masters' show? It's done very well in the ratings, and host Pete Nelson, who also runs a tree house building and supply company, built a single-family tree house in Neskowin, OR. It's even been featured on the show. The problem?

According to the Oregon Construction Contractors Board, or CCB, the tree house was built WITHOUT the necessary permits required for homes that will actually be lived in as a permanent dwelling - not just for kids in the backyard.

Apparently, the $5,000 fine is not the first one received by Nelson. He was fined for working without a license in 2014 while building a house in Fall City, WA.

According to NW Cable News:

"The TV segment showed a crew using a zipline and rope pulley system to hoist a full-sized refrigerator, oven and even a washer and dryer into the treehouse. Nelson also took viewers on a tour of the elaborate home, complete with a winding stairwell, rooftop patio, bedroom, and kitty room for the owner’s pet.

“The Neskowin treehouse on the Oregon Coast was built this past summer, 46 feet off the ground. As a repeat offender, the second violation resulted in the $5,000 fine,” said CCB spokeswoman Cheryl Martinis.

She added that subcontractors who work with Nelson could also face fines for knowingly assisting an unlicensed contractor."