Animal Control responded to a call Tuesday from a woman who had an 8-foot-long alligator in her basement, but this isn’t a unique incident. NBC10’s Karen Hua spoke with animal control who are encouraging more people to surrender their animals, not release them onto the streets or into the wild.
On Monday, officers in the city's Animal Control Unit removed an eight-foot-long alligator from a North Philadelphia rowhome.
NBC10's Karen Hua spoke with officials at the ACCTPhilly animal shelter about the 127-pound alligator -- named Big Mack -- that was taken into custody.
"It was behind a padlocked door, there was a narrow set of stairs nearby, some weights, somebody worked out nearby," detailed Sarah Barnett, ACCTPhilly executive director, when asked about where the animal was found.
According to the woman who surrendered the alligator -- who asked only to be identified as "Yali" -- the animal had lived in a homemade enclosure at that home for the past 11 years.
And, since alligators can live for up to 30 years, Big Mack may have some growing to do.
Officials that removed the animal said it was living in "less than ideal" conditions, since he didn't have enough water or sunlight, which is technically inhumane.
But, officials told NBC10 they think the owner genuinely tried his best.
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Yali said her husband was sad to see the alligator removed, but the couple have recently split and she decided it needed to go.
"My husband had him since 2011. We've had him all these years. He's been in the basement, but now we've separated and I want him out of here," she said.
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According to officials at ACCTPhilly, it's the fourth large reptile they have had to rescue in a month. A caiman, found in FDR Park in early March, needed to be euthanized after a sanctuary couldn't be found for it.
In Pennsylvania, it's legal to own an alligator, but you aren't allowed to release it into the wild.
Barnett said that they don't plan to bring any charges against the couple in this case, because they don't want to dissuade anyone in a similar situation from coming forward.
"These people did the right thing. They had this animal. They called us. They asked for help. They coordinated with us. And, that's what we want people to do," said Barnett.
Now, ACCT Philly is hoping to find a zoo or animal sanctuary that will take on "Big Mack."
Correction (April 19, 2023, 9:42 a.m.): This story has been updated to clarify that owning an alligator is legal in Pennsylvania.
