So apparently, "borrowing" an alligator from your former workplace is illegal, even in Florida. One Florida woman, Madison Stephan, found that out the hard way.
The woman claims she was only borrowing the animal for birthday pictures from Croc Encounters in Tampa, Florida, where she previously worked, but conveniently still had the keys to.
She was unauthorized to let herself into the facility, and definitely not authorized to steal an alligator and drive it over an hour away and plop it in a hotel bathtub.
And yet, that's just what she did.
It's not clear who discovered the alligator in the hotel room, but someone contacted the Orange County Sheriff's Office, who then called the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for backup with relocating the 2-foot-alligator back to his home at the zoo.
The zoo said in a statement,
We are very grateful to the responding officers who were able to get this little guy back to his proper home at Croc Encounters so he can continue to greet and educate visitors at our facility.
I'm not sure if Stephan got any birthday pictures out of the escapade, but she did get charged with "unlawful possession of an alligator" for her trouble.
Her former employer has reportedly declined to pursue charges related to the theft or trespassing.
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