Gator found roaming South Valley

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - A two foot alligator was found roaming Albuquerque's south valley on Monday morning.

A woman living on Nancy street spotted the reptile as she was leaving for the day and called the sheriff's department.

Animal control officers believe the alligator was someone's pet and was set free recently.

"Like many exotic pets a little one becomes a big one and then it becomes a problem." says Matthew Pepper, Director of Bernalillo County Animal Control.

The county isn't sure what the future holds for the gator just yet, they may contact the zoo to see if they might be willing to house it.

As for people who live on Nancy street, they were surprised to put it mildly.

"We're not in Florida." says Basilio Bencomo who lives just feet from where the gator was found. "I've heard of snakes, an alligator? I couldn't understand that."

Bencomo says he did hear a ruckus in a retaining pond behind his house a few days ago he wonders if it was the gator.

"All of a sudden I heard a big yell way in back like someone was being attacked or something. Then all of a sudden they left, I wonder if they saw it over there." says Bencomo