2-Foot Alligator, 'Godzilla' Turned In To SPCA

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — A 2-foot American alligator, "Godzilla," was turned over to the Suffolk County SPC and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Tuesday.

Chief Roy Gross of the Suffolk County SPCA said the alligator was given to the SPCA because the owner, who had purchased the alligator in Pennsylvania, did not have a license to own it in New York State.

The reptile will be transported to a licensed wildlife sanctuary, Gross said, adding, "Alligators do not make good pets, are a danger to the public, and are illegal to own without a license. "

The Suffolk County SPCA is reminding residents to be careful of reptiles found in the wild and not to touch or approach them. Alligators possess a keen sense of hearing, allowing them to determine the source of sounds. In the past, 22 alligators had been illegally released in one year on Long Island, endangering the public, Gross said.

Gross said the person who brought the alligator in purchased him at a reptile show and had him for almost two years; he believed he would be able to get a license to keep the alligator. The alligator had been kept in an "ideal" environment, in a 100-gallon tank with lights, and was well-fed and cared for, Gross said.

The owner was "concerned that he was going to get a good home," Gross said; he assured the man that the alligator would be well cared for.

The problem, Gross said, is that some individuals in neighboring states will "sell anything you want, including rattlesnakes. There's a reason why alligators are illegal in New York. They are dangerous, unpredictable, and can spread disease."

And, he said, they grow. Godzilla was purchased at five inches long and is now two feet— and alligators grow about a foot a year; some can grow to be up to 12 feet, he said. "It's not uncommon," Gross said.

The alligator is the second found on Long Island in a relatively short time, Gross said.

Gross also said that an individual who calls the SPCA or the DEC to turn in an illegal or mammal will face no fine or charges; someone who lets it loose in a lake or leaves it in a box somewhere will face criminal charges, he said.

If you spot a reptile, please do not try to touch or handle it, the SPCA said. Call professionals, such as the Suffolk County SPCA or Department of Environment Conservation, who can handle the animals and get them to proper sanctuaries. Anyone who sees an abandoned reptile is asked to call the Suffolk County SPCA at 631-382-7722 or the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation at 631-444-0250. All calls will be kept confidential.