PENNSYLVANIA, USA — A couple in Lebanon County has taken to social media to find their allegedly stolen alligators.
Brandy and Erik Gwynn posted on Facebook that their pet alligators, Cleo and Georgia, were stolen over the weekend from their enclosure.
The alligators, both female, are described as three to four feet long. The Gwynns told FOX43 that they've had Cleo for about a year in a half and have had Georgia since last week.
The alligators have two enclosures, one inside the couple's home and a 35-to-40-foot-long outside enclosure. The alligators were brought outside due to the heat.
According to the couple, they're sure the alligators were stolen.
"Alligators are very territorial. [Our alligators] are hand fed," said Brandy Gwynn. "So, they always have food. They don't leave. Cleo is captive and she's not used to living [in the] wild. So there's no way she would have left. I've had her out there for two years and she's never left."
She allegedly woke up on the morning of Aug. 21 to make sure the alligators were safe and fed but immediately noticed they were missing. The couple states there were no signs of any escape areas and note that alligators don't naturally move far from their habitats.
"If you don't handle [alligators] on a day-to-day basis, they become wilder. So, I'm sure they're scared. I'm sure they're frightened, they are going to be snappy, they will bite," said Erik Gwynn. "So, your best bet is to call us, we can easily go there and get them. We have the right things to wear and the right tools to get them safely."
The couple has filed a theft report with the North Cornwall Township Police Department. They have also placed fliers over different local businesses within the area and are offering a reward for any information on those who may have stolen the alligators.
"My animals I treat like my children," said Brandy Gwynn. "I just want my kids back."
Anyone with information on the theft has been encouraged to contact Brandy or Erik Gwynn through their Facebook accounts, or the North Cornwall Township Police Department at 717-274-0464. The Gwynn's can also be contacted through Eric Gwynn's business, Beneath the Skin Tattooing/Piercing.