WASHINGTON — D.C. police and a rescue organization found a 5-foot-long alligator and several dogs in the basement of a Southeast property.
Police and the rescue organization executed a search warrant at a property on the 3500 block of Brothers Place on Wednesday. They found the alligator inside a blue bin in the basement. The rescue organization said in a Facebook post that it was housed illegally.
Rescue workers noticed conditions and paraphernalia associated with dog fighting on the property.
A second search warrant executed on Thursday turned up six adult dogs and six puppies. The dogs had signs and scars consistent with dog fighting and chronic neglect, the Humane Rescue Alliance said in a news release posted on Facebook.
The dogs were taken to an undisclosed location for veterinary care. The caiman is at rescue organization’s facility on New York Avenue undergoing care and assessment.
Below is the area where the animals were found.
Editor’s note: This story was updated to reflect that an alligator was found at the Southeast property after Humane Rescue Alliance staff confirmed the animal was an alligator.
