Housekeeping staff at a Cheboygan, Michigan motel were met with an unusual surprise last week when they discovered a 3-foot-long dwarf alligator lounging under a bed after a guest had checked out. According to a report by WWJ Newsradio, the Cheboygan Police responded to the strange find at the Pine River Motel last Friday.
Upon arrival, officers were greeted by the motel staff and directed to the room which, after checking out, had Wally the alligator left behind by its owner. During the investigation, they discovered that Wally's owner was in town for wildlife presentations at local schools, sharing Wally and his siblings, other exotic animals, with elementary school children. While directed to the room, one of the officers made the observation that the gator left behind looked quite comfortable in its unexpected habitat.
Wally's owner was soon contacted and informed the authorities that he had been unaware of the gator's whereabouts, stating that Wally had gone missing without a clue as to where. WWJ Newsradio's coverage informed that the owner intended to return as quickly as possible to retrieve his scaly companion.
The motel manager, identified only as Gary by the Detroit Free Press, admitted to being taken aback by the discovery. "He was a real friendly gator, so I didn't feel real scared. He let the police officers hold him and all that, I mean, it was a real friendly alligator," Gary told the Free Press. Meanwhile, when Gary's nephew looked under the bed, there was a small alligator grinning back at him.
Support was provided by Cheboygan County Animal Control and staff at Bishop Baraga Catholic School in securing the scene and assisting with the investigation, as noted in an article by Cheboygan News. Wally was safely returned to his owner that Friday night, and no charges have been filed at this time regarding the incident. Reflecting on the event, the motel manager humorously acknowledged to Detroit Free Press, "It was just about the weirdest thing I've found up in a room."
