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KRQE (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 29 June 10 Alligators in Albuquerque? You bet (Michael Herzenberg)

Albuquerque, N.M.: A young Albuquerque man thought it would be cool to have an alligator. He realized though, they get really big and really hungry. Now, the gator lives at a city animal shelter with other critters he'd probably like to snack on.

“L.L. Cool Croc” is actually an alligator, but that's what the owner named him. He is roughly two and half feet long at about three years old. Albuquerque Animal Control said he could grow to twelve feet.

He spends his days swimming and crawling around in a metal tub at Albuquerque's West Side Animal Shelter now, before he was privately owned.

“You think that's safe?” asked reporter Michael Herzenberg of an Animal Control Field Service Officer. “Not really, especially if you have kids cause even this guy here can cause some damage to a small child,” responded Corporal Miguel Tavarez.

The officers care for L.L., feeding him raw chicken and even giving him some T.L.C..

“You're getting pretty close to his mouth?” asked Herzenberg. “This guy was handled pretty well by his owner and he's not hungry,” responded Tavarez.

Tame and well fed, but don't be mistaken he doesn't like strangers and despite his rap star name, L.L. doesn't like cameras.

“His teeth are like little knives. They're designed to cut through flesh quickly,” said Albuquerque Animal Control Public Information Officer Rick De Reyes.

The owner of the gator didn't want to go on TV, but said L.L. just got too big for his "crib," and too big to care for safely.

“It's not a good thing to go barefoot around them especially if they're hungry,” said Tavarez.

He ended up at the shelter in June, amid barking dogs and people looking to adopt, but you can't take L.L. home. He's headed to an alligator sanctuary in Hooper, Colorado.

“He'll have a much better life than he had here in somebody's bathtub or god forbid roaming around somebody's apartment, “ said De Reyes.

Animal Control said about once or twice a year someone gives up a pet alligator that grew too big. Officers explain city residents are allowed to own up to 15 alligators without a license, but only if the gators are born in New Mexico. You can't import them.
Alligators in Albuquerque? You bet

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