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Gator Found in Pennsylvania Creek

DELAWARE COUNTY, Pa. — The Darby creek in Prospect Park is usually a peaceful, serene place. The waters aren’t known to have any major threats…...

DELAWARE COUNTY, Pa. -- The Darby creek in Prospect Park is usually a peaceful, serene place.

The waters aren't known to have any major threats... that is until last Sunday.

"We deal with snakes and other things but we know that, but a gator is unheard of here."

Sunday morning, a three foot gator was pulled out the creek not too far from Mary Bosch's home.

"It was a little nerve-racking, because we have little dogs and we do swim in the creek, and there's little kids that go up in here."

Before the gator could harm Bosch's pooches or a kid, the reptile was spotted by Bosch's neighbor Tracie Hoffecker who sprung into action.

"I was shaking! Like oh my god there's an alligator in my backyard! I couldn't believe it."

This is actually the moment Hoffecker was at the creek in her backyard and saw the gator.

Hoffecker made a call to her cousin, a Philadelphia firefighter, and got him to go in the water and safely get the gator out.

"Definitely a first!"

And it turns out, isn't that scary up close.

"Everyone in the neighborhood has been here to see alligator and it's awesome."

"Now that this little gator turned out a little less threatening then initially thought, they are not going to put him back in the creek, but they are going to make sure he gets to a good home. Rescue organization Slimy Scaly Taily Reptile Rescue is coming to rescue him."

"This little guy is going to be going down to Delaware Maryland aquarium... and he will have a new home with plenty of other alligators he can play with,"says Slimy Scaly Taily Reptile Rescue's Matt Snider.

It's not known for sure, but likely the gator was dumped in the creek by someone who owned him as a pet.

In Pennsylvania, it's actually not illegal to own a gator.

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