Landlord finds alligator in Missouri hot tub

Nov. 8 (UPI) -- A Missouri landlord evicting a tenant from a property discovered a 6-foot alligator being kept in the home's hot tub.

The Kansas City Neighborhood and Housing Services department said the property owner contacted city officials when he discovered the alligator while evicting a tenant Wednesday.

Department spokesman John Baccala said officials called in a specialist from Greenwood to weangle the gator.

"While our animal health officers are very highly trained, that is a little out of their expertise," Baccala told the Kansas City Star. "We were called in and were told what was inside and get it off of the property."

The 200-pound alligator was safely captured and taken to the Monkey Island Rescue and Sanctuary in Greenwood. Rabbits and snakes kept by the tenant were taken to the Kansas City Pet Project animal shelter.

The former tenant, Sean Casey, said the alligator is named Catfish and is "gentle as a puppy."

Casey said Catfish, his pet of four years, "was a big cuddly lizard. He smiled all of the time."

Officials said it is not legal to keep alligators as pets in Kansas City.

Authorities in New York state found another alligator in an unusual place last week when visitors to Waryas Park in Poughkeepsie reported a 2-1/2-foot alligator hiding in a pile of leaves. The gator was safely captured and taken to the Two by Two Zoo in Pleasant Valley.