A man walking his dog spotted an alligator in front of a garage on Sebring Avenue near Rutherford Avenue.

Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Officers from Zone 6 responded to the report of a loose, large alligator around 9:55 p.m. They confirmed that there was indeed an alligator in Beechview and called Animal Care & Control.

Police kept the alligator at a safe distance while forming a perimeter around it to make sure the alligator did not run away or threaten neighbors. The alligator was agitated and hissing.

When Animal Care & Control officers arrived, they worked with police officers to corner the alligator against the garage door and carefully get it into custody. Animal Care & Control transported the alligator to Humane Animal Rescue in the East End.

No one was injured. The alligator was approximately five feet long.

As was stated last month -- when another alligator was located and captured near the Southside Riverfront Park -- alligators are not common in Pittsburgh. They require a warm climate and would not survive winter here.

Commander Mike Pilyih, who responded to the Beechview alligator, said both cases are likely the result of people buying an alligator, raising it until it got too big to care for, and releasing it to the wild.

Such actions are irresponsible. Alligators are dangerous. Anyone encountering any type of loose exotic animal in Pittsburgh should call 911.