Alligator spotted on Texas highway was a plastic replica

April 5 (UPI) -- A Texas animal shelter said personnel responded to calls about an alligator on a busy highway, but they arrived to find the reported reptile was a plastic toy.

The Plano Animal Shelter said multiple calls came in reporting an alligator in the westbound lanes of the George Bush Turnpike during rush hour Monday morning.

"When we responded, we found this little guy on the side of the road," the shelter said in a Facebook post, alongside a photo of a realistic plastic gator.

Rescuers took the faux-gator back to the shelter, where it was outfitted with a pair of pink bunny ears as part of the facility's Easter display.

"You never know what you're going to see on your morning commute," the City of Plano said in a Twitter post. "See 'ya later, alligator? After a while crocodile!"