2008.04.23
Dogs, cats, alligators, oh my
Sorry no blog entry yesterday. I must learn to better manage my time at work.
I was out perusing the Internet for some pet news this morning, and found a blog entry on the Los Angeles Times' Web site about a stray German shepherd dog that, after biting a teenager, eluded capture for days by swimming in a lake that was once the stomping ground for an alligator.
According to the report, last year an alligator found its way into a Los Angeles-area lake and made himself at home. After numerous sightings, authorities finally caught the reptile, dubbed Reggie at some point during his media campaign, and took him off to a zoo.
There, Reggie imitated Oops, our own infamous Mill Mountain monkey, and tried to escape, making him somewhat of a legend in the area.
So last week this delinquent dog tried to hide in Reggie's infamous lake. Good thing for the pooch Reggie didn't have any relatives still lurking in the water. The dog was eventually captured when he landed ashore near a golf course and taken to an animal shelter.
And while alligators are in the news, did you see the "Today" show interview with a woman who found an alligator strolling through her Florida home?
Sandra Frosti, 69, of Oldsmar, Fla., thinks the alligator gained entry to her home through her screened-in porch. Then the scaly beast proceeded to saunter through her house, ending up in the kitchen, where apparently the only thing keeping him from opening the 'fridge making himself a sandwich was the lack of opposable thumbs.
As the gator made its way through Frosti's home, she made a hasty retreat, leaving behind her cat, Poe. The quick-thinking feline was able to remain undetected by the menacing gator as he contemplated snack choices in the kitchen. Frosti spotted her kitty in the living room and whisked him out of the house to safety.
Authorities captured the intruder and, according to Frosti, put the gator down. Apparently an alligator cannot be expected to stay in the swamp once he's tasted the good life of condo living, and he would pose a certain threat to the next home he decided to invade.
Frosti told Meredith Viera that she's had many calls from family and friends about the incident, but most were checking on Poe's well-being.
(Photo: Los Angeles Times file)
