When in Florida, remember to check the pool before diving in.
That’s what local law enforcement officials are advising after pulling an estimated 7- to 8-foot-long alligator from the bottom of a Venice family’s swimming pool on Monday.
The massive gator was filmed putting up a fight as it was hauled out of the water and onto the pool deck, video shared by the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office shows.
The family was fortunately not home at the time of the discovery, which was made by a pool cleaner, authorities said.
“Can he pull you in?” a man is heard asking in the video as the gator is seen being dragged through the water and towards the steps.
“Oh yeah, he can pull you in easily,” another man, believed to be the trapper, answers.
After hauling the animal out of the water, the trapper helped relocate the gator to a safer and more “appropriate” location, the sheriff’s department said.
“Let this be a reminder that it’s mating season in Florida and these creatures, especially the females, are on the move looking for areas to lay eggs,” the sheriff’s department’s Facebook post states. “With that said, it’s probably safe to assume that any body of water, regardless of what kind, may be enticing to this kind of reptile.”