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Landscapers in Pennsylvania find malnourished alligator named Fluffy in a creek, officials say | CNN

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Landscapers in Pennsylvania find malnourished alligator named Fluffy in a creek, officials say | CNN




CNN
 — 

Landscapers in southeastern Pennsylvania made a startling discovery on the job after coming across a pet alligator that got loose, authorities said.

The alligator, identified as Fluffy by the owner who later came to retrieve it, was found in a creek in Berks County, an Exeter Township Police Department spokesperson told CNN in an email. American alligators and American crocodiles aren’t typically found in Pennsylvania, according to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

The owner said the reptile escaped during the flash floods that hit the area last month, according to an Animal Rescue League of Berks County spokesperson.

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The female reptile was taken to the county’s Animal Rescue League, where a reptile expert came to examine it. Rudy Arceo, founder of the Venom Institute, examined the alligator and said his inspection led to some unexpected discoveries.

“The owner (said) he kept it in a 75-gallon aquarium and he had it for 10 years, which completely shocked me because alligators at 10 years old are supposed to be a lot bigger than that,” Arceo told CNN.

The alligator measured at about 2.5-feet long when it was found, according to Arceo. “It should be six feet, if not bigger,” he said.

“I would definitely have to say this is probably ranking at one of the worst that I’ve personally seen, as far as a living animal is concerned,” Arceo said.

He described the reptile’s state as “really deplorable,” adding its snout curled upwards and its teeth appeared to be horizontal rather than vertical.

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“(It) was a clear sign of a multitude of things – improper diet, possibly even lack of UVB lighting, and the most important is enclosure size,” Arceo said.

Animal welfare officials will monitor the owner and perform wellness checks to determine whether they can provide the proper care for the malnourished animal, according to the Animal Rescue League.

“I’m a firm believer that people should be able to keep animals as long as it’s done ethically and responsibly, making sure it’s secure, fed right, getting everything it needs and has the right space,” Arceo said.



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Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania SPCA seeks homes for former working dogs rescued from poor shelter

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Pennsylvania SPCA seeks homes for former working dogs rescued from poor shelter


PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — The Pennsylvania SPCA is looking for forever homes for 10 working dogs.

“These guys need their retirement home, and we’re looking to the public to help us with that,” said Director of Animal Law Enforcement and Shelter Services Nicole Wilson.

Wilson said the dogs are happy and healthy now, but that wasn’t always the case.

She helped save them, along with a number of other dogs, from a rescue organization in Northumberland County that took in working dogs when they had no place to go.

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She said the Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement alerted her team after they conducted a routine inspection.

“We were seeing dogs that were living in their own waste, that had significant medical conditions,” she said. “For dogs that serviced us so well, the least we can do is provide them with the service of clean housing and medical care.”

The dogs had quite a career before they were retired. Some were on the front lines with the military while others worked with law enforcement agencies across the country.

“These dogs came from military work, whether that be contract work or directly for the United States military. They came from police departments, so retired bomb detection, drug dogs or protection dogs,” she said.

Wilson said one of the best parts of her job is seeing the dogs bounce back from health issues.

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“He was really a shadow of himself when he first came to us, and now we are so excited to see how he has progressed,” Wilson said about a dog named Rex.

The PSPCA says they want to give the working dogs a loving and safe home that they deserve.

“These dogs performed a service for us to keep the public safe, to keep our soldiers safe, and so our goal is to provide them with the retirement that they earned,” she said.

Staff said they are looking for people who have knowledge and experience dealing with working dogs.

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Pennsylvania

Bow hunting could start near Philly’s Somerton neighborhood this fall

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Bow hunting could start near Philly’s Somerton neighborhood this fall


From Philly and the Pa. suburbs to South Jersey and Delaware, what would you like WHYY News to cover? Let us know!

A newly acquired piece of property on the edge of Philadelphia will become Pennsylvania’s latest hunting grounds later this year.

The new state game lands are part of a recently acquired extension of Benjamin Rush State Park in the Somerton section of Philadelphia, near the city limits. The Pennsylvania Game Commission said a deer hunt will be conducted there.

“What we are doing is basically incorporating the 18 acres of state game lands that were recently acquired into their hunt program,” said Dustin Stoner with the PGC. “Their hunt program is highly regulated. They have a drawing and they select [a] few certain hunters to go in and harvest deer.”

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The hunt would be limited to archers who would use tree stands, giving them a better view up in the trees.

“So that when they discharge their crossbow or they use their bow and shoot an arrow, the arrow’s trajectory carries the arrow to the ground. You know, if it misses the target, then the arrow has a safe backstop,” Stoner said.



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Teen, Adult Man Hurt In Memorial Day Shooting: Philadelphia Police

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Teen, Adult Man Hurt In Memorial Day Shooting: Philadelphia Police


PHILADELPHIA — A teenage girl and an adult man were hurt in a double shooting on Memorial Day in Philadelphia, police said.

The shooting occurred at about 3:35 p.m. Monday on the 6300 block of Horrocks Street.

A 17-year-old girl suffered a bullet graze to her left leg and a 28-year-old man was shot in the right shoulder and the chest, police said.

Find out what’s happening in Philadelphiawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

They were taken to Jefferson Torresdale Hospital where both are in stable condition.

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Police said three people were taken into custody and two firearms were found.

Find out what’s happening in Philadelphiawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Anyone who has information on the shooting should contact Philadelphia Police at 215-686-8477.


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To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.



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