Bird dog points out loose gator in Ohio

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COLUMBUS, Ohio, June 17 (UPI) -- Workers at an Ohio company said a hunting dog spotted a 4-foot alligator near the office and alerted them to its presence.

Jeff Tate, who owns Buckeye Caseworks in Columbus, said employee Jeff Colucy was letting his Weimaraner dog, which is trained to spot birds, relieve himself near the building when the canine spotted the reptile, the Columbus Dispatch reported Thursday.

"My sales manager was taking his dog out to go to the bathroom, and he went to bring him back in and he was on point -- but not at a bird -- at a gator," Tate said.

Tate said he blocked the gator from escaping into woods behind the property while police officers tried to reach removal agencies.

Chris Law of Ohio Reptile Service arrived and said he had to use his bare hands and some electrical tape to catch the animal because he was on his way to a vacation when authorities reached him.

"He didn't even break his stride," Tate said of Law. "He just walked right up and grabbed the gator's tail and pulled him out."

Law said he rescues about 40 alligators per year. He said owners of the reptiles often release them when they become too big to keep.

"There are people out there that shouldn't own anything, and unfortunately those are also the same people who own these animals," Law said. "They expect they can toss it in an aquarium and call it a day."

He said the alligator will be sent to a reptile rescue organization.