San Luis Obispo can be a wild place, as officers found out Monday night when they responded to a domestic violence call and found both a piranha and a juvenile American alligator. The exotic pets are illegal in the state of California.
After making an arrest for domestic battery, officers contacted the Department of Fish and Game to help deal with the aquatic predators. The alligator was approximately two feet long. The piranha was approximately six to eight inches long.
According to a press release, the animals were confiscated and the Dept. of Fish and Game will try to find suitable accommodations for the alligator. “However, the fate of the piranha is in question.�
This article appears in Nov 24 – Dec 1, 2005.