Another stray alligator was recently spotted in Allegheny County, continuing an ongoing problem in recent years.
The West Mifflin Police Department shared a photo of the gator walking across New England Road in a Facebook post Tuesday (August 10) morning.
The department said the lost alligator was "maybe about 3-feet long" and joked that they "weren't able to check for a chip" in the post.
"Is anyone missing this….little….guy? Last seen crossing New England Road," the department shared. "Maybe about 3ft long. Didn’t respond to any of the names we called it, and we weren’t able to check for a chip. Seriously though, if you see this wandering around, please call the police.
This isn't the first time a stray alligator was spotted in Western Pennsylvania.
In 2019, multiple alligators were caught wandering in Beechview, Carrick, Lawrenceville and Shaler, while one alligator was captured while wandering Riverfront Park in the South Side.
In 2020, a 6-foot female alligator and a 4-foot male alligator were both stolen from an outdoor enclosure at an Indiana County pet shop, WPXI reports.
In March, the Pittsburgh City Council responded to the numerous sightings by voting unanimously to ban ownership of alligators, crocodiles and red-eared sliders.
The new legislation was delayed a year due to issues with the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium, which would violated the new law prior to an exception being made, TribLIVE reports.
Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited facilities, as well as individuals who owned an alligator, crocodile or red-eared slider for six months prior to the ordinance must have $1 million in insurance coverage, would avoid violations, which could be worth up to $1,000.
The zoo, however, ended its accreditation with the AZA in 2015, and had been in violation on its lease with the city, but the issues have since been worked out over the last two weeks, according to Councilwoman Deb Gross.
“Everyone’s happy about the current path (the zoo) is on,” Gross said via TribLIVE.