Post by califgirl on Jun 30, 2007 11:58:56 GMT -6
Friday, June 29, 2007 10:04 PM EDT
The Associated Press
RESTON, Va. (AP) — She had seen it on TV plenty of times, so for Erin Kemp, wrangling a stray alligator that wandered into her yard was no big deal.
She spotted the 2 1/2-foot-long gator Monday night in her suburban Washington neighborhood while taking out the garbage. Kemp told a 9-year-old neighbor to get away. She then grabbed a pen she uses to corral her kids' guinea pigs and attempted to capture the animal.
Besides, "you see it on Animal Planet," said Kemp, who watched the late Steve Irwin wrangle such beasts on the "Crocodile Hunter."
But when Kemp saw the alligator, it had noticed her too.
"It was definitely coming after me; it was not friendly," Kemp said.
Before she tried to capture the gator on her own, Kemp made sure her family was safely inside the house. She also placed a call to the animal control department.
At first the gator dashed away, but Kemp didn't give up. She picked up the guinea pig pen again and threw it over the gator.
Three animal control officers finally arrived and took the gator away. They have not determined where the animal came from. It's unusual — but not unheard of — to find an alligator in the suburbs, staffers at the Fairfax County animal shelter said.
Patricia Rockefeller, a supervisor at the shelter, said it's best to let authorities handle any stray alligators in the future.
"He is small," she said of the gator, "but he would definitely create a significant wound."
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The Associated Press
RESTON, Va. (AP) — She had seen it on TV plenty of times, so for Erin Kemp, wrangling a stray alligator that wandered into her yard was no big deal.
She spotted the 2 1/2-foot-long gator Monday night in her suburban Washington neighborhood while taking out the garbage. Kemp told a 9-year-old neighbor to get away. She then grabbed a pen she uses to corral her kids' guinea pigs and attempted to capture the animal.
Besides, "you see it on Animal Planet," said Kemp, who watched the late Steve Irwin wrangle such beasts on the "Crocodile Hunter."
But when Kemp saw the alligator, it had noticed her too.
"It was definitely coming after me; it was not friendly," Kemp said.
Before she tried to capture the gator on her own, Kemp made sure her family was safely inside the house. She also placed a call to the animal control department.
At first the gator dashed away, but Kemp didn't give up. She picked up the guinea pig pen again and threw it over the gator.
Three animal control officers finally arrived and took the gator away. They have not determined where the animal came from. It's unusual — but not unheard of — to find an alligator in the suburbs, staffers at the Fairfax County animal shelter said.
Patricia Rockefeller, a supervisor at the shelter, said it's best to let authorities handle any stray alligators in the future.
"He is small," she said of the gator, "but he would definitely create a significant wound."
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