Report of sick alligator in suburbs isn't what it seems

Detailed summary

Animal control officers rushed to investigate a report of a sick alligator in a Houston-area neighbourhood, only to discover the supposedly distressed reptile was actually an inflatable pool float.

A report of a sick alligator in a Houston-area neighbourhood turned into an unexpected comedy of errors.

Sugar Land Animal Services responded after a resident spotted what appeared to be an ailing alligator, but when they arrived Officer Perez discovered the supposedly distressed reptile was actually a runaway pool float.

From a distance, the inflatable creature looked convincing enough to prompt a call for help, but closer inspection revealed there was no real reptile in distress.

"What looked very real from a distance turned out to be a runaway pool floatie!" Sugar Land Animal Services wrote on Facebook.

The department shared the bizarre encounter alongside photographs of the inflatable gator, admitting the mix-up gave its team a laugh.

The full post read: "Never a dull day in the field at Animal Services!

"Our Animal Services Officers received a call about a gator that appeared to be sick. When ASO Perez arrived on the scene to investigate, she was in for a big surprise. What looked very real from a distance turned out to be a runaway pool floatie!

"While this call definitely gave our team a good laugh, we always take every report seriously.

"Remember: if you ever spot wildlife that looks sick or injured, please keep a safe distance and call the experts to handle it. You never know if it’s the real deal"

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