Scottish SPCA

Alligator roundabout 'rescue'

The Scottish SPCA receives all sorts of unusual emergency calls - but an escaped alligator apparently on the loose in Glasgow definitely set alarm bells ringing.

At first, ambulance driver Pamela Cairns thought her colleagues were winding her up when the call came through on Thursday reporting an alligator on a roundabout at Parkhead Forge.

"I was sure someone was having a laugh with me but our animal helpline staff said the caller insisted an alligator was on the loose," said Pamela.

"When I arrived I couldn't see anything so the caller came along to show me. Eventually we found it - a two and a half foot long plastic alligator in the bushes.

"I suppose if you drove past it might have looked real but the caller was mortified with embarrassment that it wasn't real.

"We had a laugh about it though and considering the awful cruelty and abuse cases we deal with this callout really put a smile on my face.

"I've named him Ally and I'm keeping him in my van to keep me smiling.

"It wouldn't have been the first alligator we'd have rescued as a few years ago we caught someone trying to sell one which had been kept in a 15th floor Edinburgh flat while two years ago we found another one abandoned in Galashields.

"Even though this call turned out to be a false alarm, we would always ask the public to call our animal helpline on 03000 999 999 if they believe an animal is in distress. We always do our very best to help wherever possible."

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