Escaped pet alligator recaptured in St. Louis, Mo.

June 27 (UPI) -- A pet alligator that escaped from its owner's Missouri home during a storm was safely recaptured, police said.

Amanda Mariee said her pet alligator, Zurich, escaped from his outdoor enclosure at her St. Louis home during Saturday evening's storms.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department said the gator was successfully captured Sunday and turned over to St. Louis Animal Control.

Mariee said Zurich is a young alligator and measures about 2 1/2 feet long. She said the gator did not pose a threat to any animals smaller than rodents.

Alligators are legal to keep as pets in Missouri and do not need to be registered unless they are more than 8 feet long, but the city of St. Louis bans the reptiles from being kept inside the city.