Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and Pittsburgh Animal Care & Control officers seized 32 animals and reptiles from a home on the 1400 block of Rutherford Avenue.
The homeowner allowed a 5-foot alligator to get loose from his residence last week. Pittsburgh Police officers did a wellbeing check on him yesterday and observed many animals and reptiles living in poor conditions.
Police, Animal Care & Control and a reptile expert from the Pittsburgh Zoo returned today at 1:30 p.m. with a search warrant.
They examined the living conditions for every animal in the house and seized any animal or reptile that was deemed to be living in substandard conditions.
The animals and reptiles seized include:
3 Alligators (including one with a bloody neck injury)
1 Burmese Python
1 Granite Burmese Python
1 Rattlesnake
2 Green Iguanas
2 Small Iguanas
1 Nile Monitor Lizard
4 Hairless Rats
4 Quails
5 Yellow-Bellied Slider turtles (including one dead turtle in the aquarium)
6 Rabbits (including five pregnant rabbits)
2 Guinea Pigs
Investigators also found multiple dead animals and reptiles in the home.
Animals and reptiles that were being properly cared for were allowed to stay in the home, including poisonous snakes, poisonous toads, pythons and tarantulas.
The owner agreed to surrender all 32 of the seized animals and reptiles. They were transported by Animal Care & Control to local shelters, including Humane Animal Rescue in the East End.
The owner is not charged at this time. The investigation is ongoing and charges are pending.
Raymond Bamrick, Lead Reptile Keeper at the Pittsburgh Zoo, helped Police and Animal Care & Control evaluate the animals’ and reptiles/ living conditions.
Tonight, the City-County Building is illuminated to recognize Poison Prevention Week and the 50th Anniversary of "Mr. Yuk" in partnership with Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC.
For questions about the lighting at the City-County Building, please reach out to the Office of the Mayor.