Abandoned alligator: SPCA seeks info on person who left gator in Neptune

Amanda Oglesby, Asbury Park Press
·1 min read
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NEPTUNE — On the list of things you might expect to find in Monmouth County on a chilly winter night, a live alligator ranks pretty low.

But one such alligator was discovered Sunday night on Bangs Avenue in Neptune, prompting the Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, or SPCA, to seek information about the abandoned animal's owner.

A neighbor found the juvenile alligator in a plastic container next to his home and called a SPCA Animal Control officer, according to the animal welfare agency's Facebook page. The gator is over 3 feet long and about 2 years old or younger, said Monmouth County SPCA Humane Law Enforcement Chief Mike Goldfarb.

The gator was taken to the group's shelter and placed in a clean tank within a climate-controlled area, according to the SPCA.

A juvenile alligator was discovered on Bangs Avenue in Neptune. Because alligators are illegal to keep as pets in New Jersey, the Monmouth County SPCA Is seeking information on the owner.
A juvenile alligator was discovered on Bangs Avenue in Neptune. Because alligators are illegal to keep as pets in New Jersey, the Monmouth County SPCA Is seeking information on the owner.

American alligators are warm climate animals and their habitat extends from Florida to North Carolina and as far west as Texas, according to the National Wildlife Federation.

"It is illegal for New Jersey residents to keep alligators or caimans, which are considered potentially dangerous exotic species," Monmouth County SPCA Executive Director Ross Licitra said in a statement posted to Facebook. "Not only is it a danger to the public, but these animals, when kept in captivity, need very specific care that only professionals can provide.”

Anyone with information about the alligator's owner is asked to call Monmouth County SPCA Humane Law Enforcement Chief Mike Goldfarb at 732-440-1539. Calls may be anonymous.

A juvenile alligator was discovered on Bangs Avenue in Neptune. Because alligators are illegal to keep as pets in New Jersey, the Monmouth County SPCA Is seeking information on the owner.
A juvenile alligator was discovered on Bangs Avenue in Neptune. Because alligators are illegal to keep as pets in New Jersey, the Monmouth County SPCA Is seeking information on the owner.

The alligator will be transferred from the Monmouth County animal shelter to the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife, according to the SPCA.

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Amanda Oglesby is an Ocean County native who covers Brick, Barnegat and Lacey townships as well as the environment. She has worked for the Press for more than a decade. Reach her at @OglesbyAPP, aoglesby@gannettnj.com or 732-557-5701.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Alligator found in Neptune NJ: SPCA seeks owner's info