An alligator is alive after going missing for over a week following an end-of-the-year petting zoo event at Lakeview Middle School in Kansas City.
Officials with Kansas City Pet Project, which provides animal control services for the city, said a school staff member located the creature Monday morning outside a school door. Summer school is currently in session at the middle school.
The alligator’s mouth was still taped shut when it was located.
A veterinarian will check on the animal's condition, per KC Pet Project.
The 14-inch alligator was first reported missing May 23 after it disappeared from an event that lacked a required animal show permit from KC Pet Project.
“Any type of event that showcases animals in Kansas City, Missouri, must have the proper permit to ensure the event is safe for all participants as well as the animals,” KC Pet Project spokesperson Tori Fugate said in a previous news release.
When the animal first went missing, officials said it was unlikely the gator would survive in the wild with its mouth taped shut.
An investigation into the incident remains underway.
This story was originally published by Addi Weakley at Scripps News Kansas City.
