KCOY (Santa Maria, California) 22 November 05 Exotic, illegal animals found in home
San Luis Obispo: A 19-year old San Luis Obispo man is facing jail time for illegally owning an alligator and piranha.
Police were responding to an unrelated call at a home in San Luis Obispo Monday when they discovered the reptile and fish.
The one-year old alligator is about 2 1/2 feet long, and will move to a new home with "Zoo to You," a local wildlife education program that knows how to handle dangerous animals.
"This guy, to an adult, can inflict some serious wounds," says David Jackson of "Zoo to You." "Even at this size, those are some powerful jaws. Not powerful enough to take a finger off an adult ... for a child that is a possibility."
The Department of Fish and Game decided to freeze the piranha due to concerns that it could wipe out the local bass population.
"All it takes is one male and one female to get loose and you could have an ecological disaster on your hands," says Todd Tognazzini with the Department of Fish and Game.
The 19-year old owner of the alligator and piranha faces two misdemeanor charges and could face up to a year in jail and fines of up to $1,000.
Fish and Game says it's found other exotic animals on the Central Coast, including four ferrets, a skunk, and two monkeys that were living in a Morro Bay house.
Exotic, illegal animals found in home