PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The life of a Philadelphia animal control officer can get a bit wild at times. On Monday, the Animal Care and Control Team of Philadelphia had to remove a large, angry, hissing alligator from a North Philadelphia row home.
It’s all in a day’s work … for some, said Sarah Barnett, executive director of ACCT Philly.
“Our officers have to go out — if it’s a dog, if it’s a cat, if it’s a pony, if it's a goat or a pig or, in this case, if it’s an alligator.”
A woman called ACCT Philly to say her ex-husband had a 4- or 5-foot pet alligator living in the basement and, now that they're separated, the gator had to go.
Barnett said that was a bit of an underestimate.
“We were all ready and we went down — and the alligator was 8 feet, not 5 feet,” Barnett said. “So our officers removed him. It was a little bit hairy at first, but they were able to get him out and get him calm. He was obviously not happy.”
The plan was to fly the reptile to a sanctuary, but he weighs 120 pounds, making him too big for the trip. An alternative placement option has yet to be determined.
Barnett said the family had named the creature Alli. “Our officers renamed him ‘Big Mac.’ He doesn’t respond to the earlier one," she said, laughing.
“Big Mac” the alligator is now secure in an enclosure at the ACCT Philly shelter and he’s doing okay, she said.
Barnett said this is the third alligator they had to deal with in a month.
“Or fourth, if you include the caiman,” she said.
Related
Philadelphia has a city ordinance that makes it illegal to own an exotic pet that has the propensity to be dangerous. So, Big Mac is not be an animal that ACCT Philly could adopt out.
“He could kill somebody if he wanted to,” Barnett said.
Related
Related
