An alligator, perhaps hungry for a classic “Pub Sub,” found himself straying recently when a pair of Florida officers picked him up.
The Pinellas Park Police Department said someone called 911 Thursday night to report a large alligator near 49th Street and Park Boulevard near the Publix grocery store, according to Lt. Roxanne Pohl.
She said the alligator was initially seen walking on the sidewalk and “at that point, I kept[ed] all traffic laws.
At some point, the alligator made it to the parking lot.
“We can only speculate that he was on his way to pick up a Pub Sub,” the police department said in a Facebook post.
Someone from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission responded and helped catch the alligator, which was relocated to a nearby body of water.
Neither the alligator nor anyone else was injured, the department said.
Alligators are no stranger to Florida.
In fact, millions are located throughout the state in ponds, rivers, swamps, marshes, and lakes.
Although bites are considered rare, they occur every year and can sometimes be fatal.
The FWC recommends the following tips for living with alligators: never feed one; keep pets away from the shores of lakes, ponds, and streams; keep your distance and only swim in designated areas.