Photo submitted by Oceana County Sheriff’s Office
SHELBY TOWNSHIP — A wandering alligator was safely returned to its owner early Thursday morning after an Oceana County sheriff’s deputy found the reptile sitting in a rain puddle along the side of the road.
According to Oceana County Sheriff Craig Mast, the incident occurred Thursday, July 9, at 12:41 a.m. in Shelby Township. The information was taken from a deputy’s incident report.
The deputy responded to a complaint and found what appeared to be a 2- to 3-foot alligator on the north edge of the roadway in a rain puddle. After getting out of the patrol vehicle and attempting to capture it, the alligator ran into tall grass along the roadside. The deputy caught the reptile by its tail and secured it in the rear of the patrol vehicle.
After speaking with the complainant, the deputy contacted residents at a nearby home on West Shelby Road, where the occupants reported they were missing a pet alligator that had escaped earlier. The owner retrieved the alligator from the deputy’s patrol vehicle after the deputy confirmed it had been found in the roadway. Before clearing the scene to respond to other calls, the deputy photographed the reptile. No injuries were reported.
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