Exeter Township, PA — An alligator named Fluffy is now back with his owner after a Pennsylvania landscaper found him in a creek.
"We just caught an alligator. We're famous."
When landscaper Shawn Sancinella saw an alligator near his job site in Exeter Township Wednesday morning, he made a snap decision.
"I couldn't believe it, it was wild. I'm like, we're in Pennsylvania, no alligators are going to be in here."
While his crew called 911, he scaled down into Antietam Creek and tracked it down.
"I was in waist deep water walking down the pipe to get it pushed out."
That's when Exeter Township police got involved.
"We train for a lot as police officers. One thing we do not train for is capturing loose alligators."
But Officer Steve Berardi says this one was pretty docile and hey had a suspicion that it was someone's pet.
"The pet owner gave us a call and said he was looking for days and was worried sick about his alligator Fluffy."
Police say Fluffy went missing during flash flooding in Berks County last month and when he was found, he was in pretty bad shape.
"Even though it was found in a creek, his tongue was dried up and curled so there were a lot of issues here,” said Rudy Arceo, the founder of the Venom Institute.
Reptile expert Rudy Arceo says Fluffy was also emaciated; he should be about 10 feet long but was only 2 and a half feet and he also had a distorted snout.
"If you want to get a crocodilian, make sure you have the space."
Arceo is glad Fluffy is safe and Shawn is still in disbelief about his jarring experience.
"I mean this is Berks County. A little bit of excitement like that goes a long way up here because that's what they have to look forward to."
Fluffy's owner got his gator back, but the Animal Rescue League says it will be regularly checking in to make sure Fluffy’s health improves and his living conditions are sustainable.
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