It’s always nice to hear a story about a shelter animal finally being adopted into a forever home. One creature finally making that move today after 18 years at the Pasadena Humane Society is Tina, a 7-foot-long, 100-pound alligator.
Tina ended up among the cats and dogs at the local shelter when she was rescued from a traveling wildlife show that was shut down due to permit violations. All of the other animals from the show ended up relocated, but there was no place for Tina to go. At the time, the shelter didn’t really have a proper home for an alligator, but a donor came through and the shelter constructed an enclosure with a pond and waterfall just so Tina could feel comfortable, according to the Pasadena Star News.
“She’s been a very special resident for us,” Ricky Whitman of the Pasadena Humane Society told ABC 7. “But it’s time for her to move on.”
That new home she is moving on to now will be at the LA Zoo, where she’ll be shacking up with Reggie, the single male alligator currently in residence. Reggie made news for sneaking out of the enclosure once before, but maybe having someone new to hang out with will keep him occupied and less likely to roam.
Alligators might not make the top of everybody’s list for cutest zoo creatures, but we have to admire Tina’s personality, at least.
“She does like to swim. She loves getting her back brushed with a big broom. She does enjoy her meals,” Whitman said in describing her—and who can’t get behind all of that?
You can learn more about Tina's big move in the video below.