Police responding to an unusual overnight call in Jeffersonville, Indiana, found a scaly surprise. It was a 5-foot alligator outside a law office. The reptile was several blocks from the Clark County Courthouse on Court Avenue.
A resident spotted the animal early Sunday, Aug. 2, and alerted authorities. Officer Werling captured it with a control bar before police placed it inside a K-9 patrol vehicle.
Officers then called Jordan Jones, founder and director of The Kentuckiana Scaletuary, for help. Jones arrived in high heels and handled the difficult transfer without changing her footwear.
No injuries were reported during the encounter. The alligator was taken to the reptile rehabilitation center, although authorities did not identify its owner or explain how it reached downtown Jeffersonville.
Police Used a Control Bar to Capture the Alligator
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Police temporarily placed the reptile in the back of a K-9 vehicle while arranging for someone with wildlife experience to retrieve it. The department also thanked Clarksville Police, Clark County 911 and The Kentuckiana Scaletuary for helping resolve the unusual call.
Louisville ABC affiliate WHAS11 described the animal as an escapee. However, officials did not publicly say where it had been kept or how long it had been loose.
Wildlife Expert Answered the Call in High Heels
Jones said she initially thought officers were joking when they contacted her. She soon arrived and began working to move the alligator from the police vehicle safely.
“We were not good friends,” Jones told WHAS11 after the encounter. Video shows her carefully controlling the reptile while wearing high heels.
Jones previously learned to handle alligators while working with wildlife rehabilitation facilities in Florida. Her organization provides rehabilitation services for native reptiles and permanent refuge for exotic species, according to The Kentuckiana Scaletuary.
The center said the alligator’s health could have been better, but it remained in relatively good spirits after its ordeal. It was safely transferred into the organization’s care for further evaluation.