A Louisiana couple was surprised in the middle of the night by an unwanted visitor to their home: a 5-foot-long alligator.
Don and Jan Schultz are no strangers to wildlife. The couple recently moved from Yuma, Arizona to New Iberia. In Arizona it is common to see rattlesnakes and scorpions.
But last week, the Schultzes were woken in the middle of the night by their Australian Cattle Dog, Panda.
“She growled. I thought there was probably a cat walking around the yard.” Jan told NBC affiliate KPNX.. “She growled again and I heard a thump. And I was like, ‘Oh, someone’s in the house.
When Don went to see what the sound was, he came face to face with an alligator in his hallway.
“I took a big leap back,” Don said. “The same way I did in Arizona when I saw rattlesnakes. I told my wife, ‘There’s an alligator in the house.’ She thought she was joking. I had to take a photo to prove it to him,” she added.
KPNX reports that the couple believe the alligator was lurking in their yard, and when Panda went out to relieve herself, the reptile likely followed her into the house through the small doggie door.
The couple called 911 and the Louisiana Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Photos and videos of the Iberia Sheriff’s Office shared on Facebook they show officers trying to catch the alligator as the animal thrashes violently.
The Schultzes hope they won’t have to worry about alligators getting into their home anymore. Since that incident, they have installed a smart door for dogs that can only be opened with Panda’s collar.
