Alligator found in Wading River.

Newsday Article

Two boys walking near an empty lot on Route 25A in Wading River made an unusual find -- a 3 1/2-foot alligator on the loose.

Instead of running away from the scary reptile, though, the boys decided to capture it and get help.

They located a plastic wading pool and somehow pushed or prodded the alligator into it, then called the Suffolk SPCA, which sent an emergency response team to take custody of the animal.

"That was a very responsible thing for those boys to do. They got it into the tub, put some water in it," said SPCA Chief Roy Gross, who arranged for the gator to be sent to a sanctuary in a warmer climate.

The animal, which appeared to be about 3 years old, was found on Sunday, Gross said. He sent out a news release Wednesday about the incident, offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction of whoever abandoned it.

Gross said the alligator may be the biggest ever found running loose in Suffolk County, though much bigger specimens have been recovered from homes.

The boys found the gator near Manor Road and Route 25A, not far from a shopping center.

It's likely the animal was dumped at or near the spot where it was found, and it had numerous broken teeth indicating that it may have been mistreated, Gross said.

"I think someone was screwing around with it, possibly with a metal pole," he said. If someone poked a metal object at the alligator it would react by biting it, causing its teeth to shatter, he said.

The two boys, who asked not to be identified, were in their late teens, and it was fortunate that the discovery wasn't made by younger children, he said.

"This is not something you'd expect to see in a residential area in Suffolk County," Gross said.

The reptile was examined and found to have some front teeth missing but it was still capable of inflicting serious injury to humans and death to small animals and pets, Gross said.

He added, "This is the biggest year for these rescues, with over 100 alligators, snakes and other exotic reptiles... With cooler temperatures on the way, this gator would have had a real tough time surviving."

The Suffolk SPCA asks anyone with information to make a confidential call to the SPCA at 631-382-7722.

Re: Alligator found in Wading River.

I was really sad to see someone apparently had been taunting it, with a metal pole or something, with it's apparent broken teeth.

Any chance it WAS the boys' alligator...and not that they just found it?

Re: Alligator found in Wading River.

Re: Alligator found in Wading River.

Re: Alligator found in Wading River.

I agree...and they don't want to be identified?

Re: Alligator found in Wading River.

Message edited 11/11/2011 7:25:18 PM.

Re: Alligator found in Wading River.

Yea, there's something strange about heroes not wanting to be identified.

Whatever the case tho, I feel bad for the animal and hope they find it a good home.