All Concerned,
I was appalled when I heard that they killed the alligator. The reasons for killing the innocent animal made no sense to me at all. This incident was not handled right.

I think the situation was handled right... as the report said, once an alligator becomes accustomed to "breaking and entering", it's going to do it again.  Next time, a person could be hurt or killed, or a domestic animal that's in the house could become the alligator's supper!  It's unfortunate, but it was necessary.

As for an unusual animal entering my house... nope, don't have a story there.  But, I can say, because I live in a rural area, at the end of a dead-end road, I have had my share of dogs and cats being dropped off at my house.  And a Pot-Bellied Pig... and a pair of Peacocks... But, coming home from work one day and finding a horse - yes, horse - in my yard, I thought, "Well now, this is a bit much, huh?"  Come to find out, the horse wandered thru a path in my woods from a neighboring farm.  LOL...

To those who think that they should not have killed the gator -- have you really ever been around alligators before?  I have.  I lived in FLA for 7 years and ANY wild animal that comes up close to humans without hesitation do not fear humans anymore and for safety sake, need to be disposed of, relocated, etc.  Alligators are territorial and WILL return to an area even after being relocated so disposal had to be the option.  Sad but life is not fair and safety IS priority.

I live in florida so it doesn't surprise me. when we lived in so carolina we had a bat come down the chimney and i once shooed a copperhead snake out of my bedroom.  unfortunately, where i lived in south carolina animal control pretty much figures you'll handle incidents like that yourself so i did.  at least in florida animal control will come out

I agree with Amy (you go girl!), killing the alligator was a horrific decision to make...just like that.  They didn't even try to find a sanctuary for the alligator before putting him down, they just did it.  I'm sure that if it were announced on the Today show that they were looking for a sanctuary for the alligator, that poor alligator would have a new "home" of his very own.  They said this incident wasn't very common so it's not like they would be looking for a sanctuary every week.  This was a rare occurence that should have been handled with more care for the alligator.  He obviously didn't mean any harm or this poor woman would have been attacked.

I'm also appalled at how this was reported on the Today show.  Why do they have to say "it was destroyed."  Why can't they say that the alligator was put to sleep.  This is not a piece of property, like a run down building being destroyed for new contruction.  This is a living and breathing animal.  I find that statement distasteful, incompassionate, and disrespectful for life itself and for what the animal really is...a living creature.  I am confused how on one side the show reports on the love and compassion for animals (cats and dogs) but disrespects all others.  Animals are animals no matter if they are wild or domesticated.  Who are we to determine which life, which living and breathing creature has more meaning.  

"He who has never sinned should cast the first stone."

The woman stated that if you ever need to flee a gator that your should run in a straight line. This is NOT the case. If you ever find yourself in the position of fleeing an alligator you should run in a zig zag pattern as it is diffucult for them to turn rapidly. They will often give up chase.

I agree with those who think the killing of this alligator was unnecessary.  It was a pure mistake that she entered the home, and her contact with humans was so limited that I do not think she had learned in that timeframe not to fear humans.  She probably was afraid, being in a strange environment, and felt the need to protect herself.  Simple removal of the alligator to a location far from the home or a sanctuary would have been more appropriate and humane.  Let's look at it from a different viewpoint ... can you imagine being the alligator, in a strange, unfamiliar place and being scared?  Then you're taken away and killed because you made the simple mistake of entering someone's dwelling that was not secure (broken screen door) to begin with.  Sounds awful senseless, doesn't it?

Had a bat in the family room, came down the chimney. Than we had a fawn in the kitchen that my kids brought home while hores back riding. It was barely taller than our cat. The game warden came and got it.

an alligator walking around in my kitchen?! i'm wondering, did this lady have her back door open? or did the alligator just "chew" the door? how did the blasted thing get in in the first place?

I saw this story this morning and thought "What a scary thing to be confronted with" and for the 911 operator to me so doutfull was putting that lady in further danger.
The recording of the caller seemed lucid and lagitament to me.

James
Ps:
I have this great idea for your show, you should have guest anchors chosen from your teem of field reporter to hoast The Today Show once in a while, my favorite is Kelly O'Donnel.
Just a thought.

SHE DID THE RIGHT THING BY CALLING 911 BUT THAY TOOK TO LONG TO GET TO HER HOUSE. I FEEL THAT THAY SHOULD OF GOT THERE WHEN THE CALL CAME IN,AND GLAD THAT THAY KILLED IT. GOD WAS WITH HER AND THE WORKERS. I HAVE NEVER SEEN AN ALLIGATOR I LIVE WERE WE HAVE LOTS OF SNKES ROSWELL,NEW MEXICO.

While it is sad they had to put him down, it was neccesary. Adult gators will ALWAYS return back to their territory even if they are transported and released over 100 miles away. He would just come back to her house again and possible hurt/kill her next time seeing as how she is in *his* territory. If the gator was a juvenile (about 4ft in length or less) then they would have been able to relocate it without fearing it to return.

Now as for the whole running in a straight line or zig zagging, NEITHER of them have proven to work because unless the gator is starving or you are ridiculously close to it, it will leave you alone and will not chase you. If you watch the discovery channel, most of the time they wait for the prey to get close to them. They even tested that on mythbusters with their mannequin Buster wearing pantyhose full of raw chicken. The alligators ignored it.

I agree the alligator should have been put to sleep (NOT DESTROYED), But I'd also like to know who gets all that meat???
Kathy, North Port, FL

I agree that it is a shame the alligator was "destroyed" instead of sent to a wildlife reserve or facility. Authorities can be so cruel to innocent animals.    
 

People please it is a wild animal. They are killed and they die everyday, there are new ones born everyday. We want miss him tomorrow. Having been rised in Fl. I have swam with them , fished with them and then people feed them and they become a nusiance and get in trouble. Besides the gator was probally somebody's supper last night. A happy ending

When watching this segment, I was appalled when I heard the State Wildlife Officer's comment to Mrs. Frosti, "There's your cowboy boots". He certainly showed a lack of professionalism and, more importantly, a total lack of compassion for this animal. It reminds me of a news story several years back where a Texas wildlife officer trapped an alligator in a residential neighborhood (similar situation) and dragged it around behind his pick-up truck (within that same neighborhood) until it died a painful death. Great example for our kids! Also, I disagree with the above comment that the Today Show should have opted for the euphemism "put to sleep" vs. "destroyed". I'm heartened that people were shocked by this. Hopefully this alligator was humanely euthanized, unlike the unfortunate Texas alligator. And, as long as we're showing some degree of moral indignation re: the  not so compassionate treatment of animals, let's not forget about the     7 million+ cats and dogs that are "destroyed" in animal shelters each year in the United States! No euphemism can make us feel better about this bleak reality. . . and THEY aren't a risk to public safety!

Lastly, I agree with Wendy. . . I'm originally from Florida and was always taught to run in a zig-zag pattern if ever chased by an alligator.

Once, when my kids were about 9& 11 (>15years ago) we were getting in the car to go somewhere.  My daughter was lagging behind & we were waiting for her in the car.  Suddenly a HUGE black dog just walked up and walked in the house!  In the seconds it took me to decide whether to go in after it to protect my little girl, she apparently came face-to-face with it in the kitchen.  No words were spoken--it just turned around and left.  Praise God!!  We never saw it before of after that.  I never had trouble getting her in the car either!

I guess they could have taken the time to find it a home. But they have so many gators there they figure why . But anyways I had a snake come in my back door and was in my kitchen floor, needless to say I screamed and ran away and called 911. When they finally showed up and look for it they found it  back outside up a tree. I told them shoot it ! shoot it !  they laughed and said no and got it down and took it down the road and let it go :( Needless to say my back door stayed closed after that.  

Yes, it is difficult to imagine needing to destroy a wild animal, until you remember that large predators commonly target the young and elderly of the group they consider prey. After this gator taught itself to push through minor barriers in a residential area to gain entry into a house, it is far too dangerous to allow it to do so again. Running in a zigzag pattern is fine advice for the able but wouldn't help the elderly, or prevent a toddler from being killed.

I work protecting wild animals and the public. We teach people to be as safe as possible, but when a bear or cougar learns to eat people, they're going to go to places they can find small children and track the elderly as well. If others of its kind see it being successful, they will emulate that behavior, then you'll have multiple animals destroyed along with children and aged or disabled people being maimed or killed.

Killing one alligator is awful, but the alternatives can be much worse.

I've worked with animals all my life, and kept them in the house, but a few have wandered in on their own. There was the young skunk that came in on the back porch to steal cat food. My husband brought his newly purchased 8 month old quarter horse stallion into our hours (I have pictures) One of my hen peafowl got in the house one day when I left the back door open (that was a total mess-know how much a frightened peahen can poop, and how many things it can knock over?!?!)Those things are BIG. And then there was also the escaped water snake that took up residence in the shower drain when we lived in Hialeah, Florida. Took a couple of weeks to finally catch it.

This animal should not have been killed.  As others have stated it could have been relocated in a sanctuary, farm or a zoo.  Man and animal have to learn to live together. We have encroached upon their space and habitat far beyond acceptability.   killing an animal other than for food is appalling. I am a Vegan.  I stopped eating meat because of the inhumane acts of man killing animals for food. Animals want to live also.  

I have two crazy animal in the house stories. The first started off on a breezy summer morning. I was relaxing reading the Sunday paper, an infant sleeping soundly next to me in her bassinet. I heard somthing repeatedly hitting the screen in the bay window. Thinking it was a horse fly, I finally whoosed open the curtain and there in all its glory, was a bat with a full wing spread. I screamed, grabbed my baby and ran out the door (hubby was out). I waited for him at a neighbors house and when he returned, told him I was not going back in until the bat was out. Hubby propped open the front door and haphazardly looked about, then delcared the bat must have flown out the door. I was not convinced. I told him to get me a hat (?) and in I went, with the baby safely at the neighbors. I looked carefully, finally finding the bat crouched by the back screen door. I slammed the kitchen door and sent hubby BACK to take care of getting the bat OUT!

Second story is a few years later. Same kid, now three. Same hubby. I'm at work, Daddy is "taking care" of his child. He calls me to say that our daughter got bit by a dog. I say "where?". He says in the kitchen. But we don't have a dog. For obvious reasons, I had to pull the story out of him. While Daddy was napping, daughter opened the back door and let a stray dog in the house, which promptly bit her. The good news is the dog wasn't rabbid and the daughter is now grown having survived MANY "Daddy is a lousy caregiver" incidents. He's a good man. Just don't trust him to take care of your children.

First of all, Eddie, how is it inhumane to kill an animal and eat it for food? We are animals, too. Every animal has to eat to survive. I respect Vegans but they never respect people who naturally ENJOY meat. I think it's wrong when people abuse the animal when killing it instead of a shot to the head.

I am sad they had to take the animal's life but if the alligator has no fear of man then it would be a danger to other animals and small children,too.

I had a dead bat on the back of a couch and another being played with on the floor by my 2 cats.  The police had to come and get my cats "pet bat" out of the house.  Also, one of my cats loves to play "Fetch" with a stuffed mouse.  I reached down and went to pick up the mouse to throw it for my cat to fetch...it was a LIVE mouse!  ICK!!!!!

I know a woman in Alaska that has photos of a moose sticking it's head through her window and drinking out of the faucet.  She got used to that and started letting it walk into her house and I've seen those photos as well.  ????  I'm not quite sure why, but that's the way some people are in Alaska.  It's a female moose, no antlers.  

My husband had taken laundry out of the dryer from our garage into the bedroom.  As he was folding the clothes, he saw a head peak out of the basket. A possum peaked out from within. He took the basket outside and got the broom and tried poking to scare the possom, but nothing happened. My husband then proceeded to take the basket of clothes outside and to dump them on the lawn and there lay the possom "playing dead".  He had to gently pushed the possum with the broom and she ran off.

It was not fair that they had to kill the poor alligator. It didn't hurt anyone it was just scared. They should really look into the animalbefore they put the down and make sure they cannot be taken to a sanctuary or even put in a zoo, anywhere but dead. i live in rural Virginia so i have seen my fair share of snakes and such. I learned to alway keep doors closed to keep out animals, but once when i was about 11 a cat tryed to follow me insde because i had petted it and given it food. I wouldn't open the door and went to sleep when i woke up at bout midnight to hear scratching. I opened my window to find that the cat had jumped nto the screen of my window and had it's claws sunk in and was looking into my bedroom. I hit the window screen so it wouldn't hurt the cat and it left. I found out that ithd returned to it's real home a month later.

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