Thursday, January 15, 2015

Officials seize pet alligator that family kept illegally for 37 years



An 8-foot-long female alligator named Jaxson was seized from the backyard of a Van Nuys home where it was discovered inside a crate that also contained the carcasses of two dead cats.
The alligator had apparently been living with the Mattson family for more than 37 years. But their decades of life together came to an abrupt end this week when Los Angeles animal control officers raided their home and seized the alligator.
Laura Mattson and her family denies they were feeding the animals to the reptile, that her family had taken care of cats, as well, pointing to a photo of the alligator with two small kittens, one snuggled against the reptile's side. but authorities are asking residents of the area to get in touch if any of them have had small pets that have gone missing in the past 40 years .
The officials had previously searched the home in late 2014 after receiving a tip, but they didn't find an alligator, another search this week took place on Monday after another tip . A resident at the home refused to let the animal control officers inspect the property, so they obtained a search warrant, the statement said. The alligator is now apparently in the care of keepers at the L.A. Zoo.


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