He jumped dramatically in fear when he saw it.
Jesse Driscoll, the owner of the shop, was busy installing a new oven when the animal walked in, according to the report.
Animal Protective Services officer Ward, alongside Southport police officers, managed to safely capture the young alligator and relocate it.
“You can see lots of things. People coming in. Friends coming in to say hi. But never in a million years did I think I’d see an alligator,” he added. One quick-thinking customer even grabbed a chair to use as a makeshift shield against the reptile. Watch the video here: Local police and animal control officers arrived at the scene. Animal Protective Services officer Ward, alongside Southport police officers, managed to safely capture the young alligator and relocate it. “SPD Officers along with APS Officer Ward removed an alligator from inside the Bagel Dock late this afternoon. The gator was safely captured and relocated,” the Southport police department posted to social media. “Our surprise visitor was safely escorted out by local law enforcement. No injuries, no drama… just one VERY unusual customer!” the caption added. “Fresh bagels. Wild experiences. State wildlife officials point out that while alligators naturally tend to keep their distance, encounters with humans in coastal North Carolina have been on the rise.
“It’s just so far out of the ordinary for a bagel shop,” Driscoll told WWAY News . “Apparently, word of our fresh bagels has made its way into the swamp!” the staff at the bagel shop wrote as the caption of the video, poking a little fun at the situation. As quoted by The Guardian , wildlife management district biologist John Henry Harrelson said, “People feeding alligators ultimately leads to those animals seeing humans as a potential source for food. “Naturally, alligators are shy, but through feeding, alligators can lose their fear of humans and that leads to a possible negative interaction between people and wildlife,” Harrelson added.
