‘Gator Getter’ responds after resident finds alligator on front porch, calls 911

GOOSE CREEK, SC (WCSC) - A Goose Creek neighborhood now knows what to do if there is ever an alligator on one of their porches after having that exact situation happen Sunday morning.

The Department of Natural Resources says this isn’t uncommon this time of year, so people should know what to do if they see one.

A neighbor saw the five-foot alligator walking down the Brick Greens neighborhood and decided to call 911. When officers arrived they soon realized they could keep the gator in an enclosed area, but they couldn’t do much more on their own. They called the DNR “Gator Getter” to come help.

DNR says the alligator probably just got a little bit lost when looking for the pond in the neighborhood, so he didn’t want to hurt anyone while walking around.

“As they move they are looking for the path of least resistance so sometimes they end up where they’re not supposed to be,” Morgan Hart, the DNR Alligator Project Leader, says.

Making this gator, who the neighbors named Ralph, stuck on the porch until the Gator Getter arrived. DNR says gators getting lost isn’t uncommon since there are 100,000 alligators just in the Palmetto State alone.

“Alligators are a native species, they are important to the South Carolina ecosystem,” Hart says. “We call them the original natives.”

So if you happen to find one on your porch too, DNR has some tips for you. They say to never touch or feed the alligator and call their hotline if the gator isn’t threatening anyone at 1-800-922-5431.

If the alligator is threatening a life, they ask that you call 911 immediately.

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