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A crew from the SPCA picked up the alligator, who had some front teeth missing, but Gross said it was still capable of inflicting serious injury to humans and death to small animals and pets.
The alligator, estimated to be between 3 and 4 years old, was found in a rural area of eastern Long Island, and Gross suspects it may have been dumped there by someone who could no longer care for it.
"These animals are extremely dangerous and now they're being abandoned on the side of the road where people walk and cycle," said Gross, who noted his agency has collected 112 reptiles of various sorts, including several alligators, in the past year.
"With cooler temperatures on the way, this gator would have had a real tough time surviving."
He said the Suffolk County SPCA was offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for abandoning the alligator. Owning alligators is illegal in New York, he added.
The captured alligator will be sent to a sanctuary out of state, Gross said.
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On the Net: http://www.suffolkspca.org/
[Associated Press]
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