Caldwell, Idaho - It's not something you'd normally see in Idaho, but on Wednesday an alligator was spotted walking down a street in Caldwell.
It's now in the hands of Fish and Game officials who are trying to find the reptile a new home.
This Caldwell neighborhood looks just like any other. So you probably wouldn't guess that around 5 a.m. Wednesday, an alligator was spotted walking down Freeport Street. A man saw the three foot reptile and brought it to the Caldwell Police Department.
"I couldn't believe it at first. The last thing I thought I'd ever see is an alligator in Caldwell, Idaho," said Cpl. Dennis Schat.
He added, "Usually we get people dropping off, if they find a wallet or things along those lines, maybe drug paraphernalia. Never an alligator, that was a first."
The reptile was dubbed the department's mascot. But before it was allowed to roam the offices, police taped its mouth shut to prevent it from biting someone.
"He never was going after anybody, he was just being kind of mellow. I'm sure he was more scared than we were," said Schat.
Some officers definitely weren't frightened. They took time out of their day to strike a pose with an animal they will probably never see again in Idaho.
"A lot of the officers wanted to take photos holding him. It was a good time for the officers. They enjoyed it," said Schat.
Fish and game officers believe the gator is someone's pet. They say the red marks on his nose indicate he was kept in some sort of wire cage and somehow managed to escape. Here in Idaho, it's illegal to have dangerous reptiles for pets.
"It is a misdemeanor violation but I probably wouldn't charge them with it. I'd probably just ask them to get it out of the state. Find a way to get rid of it," said Charlie Justus with the Idaho Fish and Game Department.
But until someone claims ownership, Fish and Game officers will try to find the gator a new home.
"If I can find the owner, great. If not, then I'll start working on shipping it out of town and figure out how to get it out of the state. I don't know, back to Florida," said Justus.
Fish and Game officials say this is the first time they've actually picked up an alligator in Idaho.
They encourage those who see a wild reptile to call them, officers will come out and catch it.
Meantime, if you know who owns the alligator in our story, you're asked to call either Idaho Fish and Game or the Caldwell Police Department.
Link
Linear Mode
