KCBI (Boise, Idaho) 08 June 06 Pet Alligator Escapes, Later Found (Kiersten Throndsen)
Caldwell: Owning an alligator in Idaho is illegal, not to mention unusual as a pet. Wednesday evening a Caldwell man found that out the hard way after his pet alligator escaped.
Martin Stanley can understand owning a cat or dog, he has two [bleep]zu's, but he's not so sure about having a reptile as a pet.
"I don't know why anybody would want to keep an alligator, you know maybe if they're raising it for shoes or a handbag," Stanley told KBCI CBS 2 News.
Stanley didn't know that he's been living directly across the street from a three foot, three-year-old American alligator.
"I was stunned, I just had no idea at all," he said.
Early Wednesday morning the alligator managed to get out of his cage. He was seen roaming the streets just a few blocks away from his house before being picked up and taken to the Caldwell Police.
"At three feet he had a pretty good size mouth and nice big teeth, if he got a hold of somebody's hand you could lose a finger," Fish and Game Conservation Officer Charlie Justus told KBCI CBS 2 News.
It's illegal in Idaho to own or import any non-native animal. It turns out the owner also has a Coatimundi, a relative to the raccoon. Justus says these kinds of animals are not good for native species and he worries what could happen if one successfully escapes.
"I'm convinced that an alligator, if it were to get loose, and made it out to the Boise River, it could make it out to the Snake River, and it could live and survive," he said.
The owner got off the hook with a warning but he has to find his pets new homes in the next two weeks.
"It's fine with me as long as he keeps it up, at least he created some excitement here yesterday," said neighbor Velma Snowden.
While it may have been exciting for the neighborhood Fish and Game warns you might want to think twice before bringing an alligator home.
Fish and Game Officers also learned that the owner was about to buy a 6 foot alligator over the Internet, something they advised him not to do.
Pet Alligator Escapes, Later Found