Police near the northern tip of Michigan's lower peninsula were called to a motel to help secure an unusual piece of left-behind property: a live alligator.
The Cheboygan Police Department said officers were called to a Pine Rivers motel room when housekeeping staff found a live alligator in a recently-vacated room. "We just went in to clean the room and, when my nephew looked under the bed, Wally was there," the motel's manager, Gary, told the Detroit Free Press. "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."
Police determined the 3-foot alligator, named Wally, belonged to a man who owns multiple exotic animals and takes them to elementary schools for demonstrations.
The owner was contacted and told police he knew Wally was missing, but didn't realize he had been left at the motel.
"He thought it got out. He looked for him, couldn't find it," Gary said.
Wally was reunited with his owner Friday night.
Photo: Raj Mehta / Getty Images Sport / Getty Images
