Well, that was one close call. Animal control is used to having cases that might be a tad harder than others, but when they got a call about an alligator at a park, the day got a bit more interesting than they could have predicted.
The Andover MA Animal Control Department got a phone call after visitors at the Deer Jump Reservation in Andover, Mass., after they spotted the reptile. Three officials rushed out to the park, ready to corral the alligator. Once at the park, they spoke with the worried visitors.
Nervous to get too close, they described what they were able to see before we ventured in,” Andover MA Animal Control wrote about the incident on social media.
Officers made their way to the area where the spotted the alligator. And then stopped in their tracks. Though it had been hard to tell from a distance, but the frightening alligator was a toy. It had been put in an area that covered parts of it and had it’s mouth open in an intimidating pose.
Officer from Andover MA Animal Control with toy alligator. Photo by Andover MA Animal Control
Animal control enjoyed this easy assignment and had some fun with it on Facebook. They posted: “When Dispatch calls you ahead of time and says ‘I hope you’re not busy because I’ve got a good one for you!’…you know it’s going to be an interesting call!”
They said they sent out their officers who were capable to handle the alligator. “ACO Katie was dispatched out to Deer Jump Reservation for…. wait for it…. an ALLIGATOR! ACO Katie along with Officer Seigel and Officer Murray responded to the trail where we were met by the callers. Nervous to get too close, they described what they were able to see before we ventured in.”
The ‘deadly’ toy alligator. Photo by Andover MA Animal Control
The officers couldn’t help but enjoy the moment. “Once we arrived in the area, our excitement turned to belly laughs as we picked up toy gator who was very well camouflaged and placed to look like the real thing! We retrieved and removed the toy to prevent others from having mini panic attacks while walking the trails, however this is a FABULOUS reminder as to why you should always keep your dog leashed.”
“Surprisingly, this isn’t the first alligator call in this area and it surely won’t be the last – you never know what kind of creatures you’ll come across in the woods, thankfully this one was made of rubber instead of scales,” the department said.
