Exotic animals, including a gator, arrive to ACCT Philly in matter of days

While ACCT Philly adroitly manages to provide forever homes to many cats and dogs, but in the last week, the newest residents have scales and feathers, along with the usual fur, making it seem more like a zoo.

What we know:

ACCT Philly is the city’s only open intake shelter and its had a wild week, taking in all kinds of animals, from quail to a pheasant to an alligator.

Sarah Barnett, the Executive Director of ACCT Philly, explained, "We renamed him Ferdinand. He initially came in with the name Chompy, so we thought Ferdinand might be a little more positive. They already have a bad rap."

Ferdinand came in with a female Husky named Gia. Sadly, both were just left behind in an eviction. Sarah says the gator is the latest in a string of unusual animals to come into ACCT.

"In the last couple of days, we’ve gotten chickens, a lizard, a rat, quail, a pheasant, an alligator. We're kind of checking all the boxes," Barnett said.

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Exotic animals:

Phisy the Pheasant was surrendered due to its owner’s health but this gorgeous bird will soon be flying the coop. Sarah says, "In Phisy’s case, an avian vet saw an Instagram post and reached out and has the proper environment and knowledge and everything that's needed for a bird like that."

Two cute quail were found as strays. Sarah explained, "We're obviously looking for someone with a farm or someone who would like to have quail. They're actually pretty social. They are pretty friendly as far as quail go."

One of the exotic animals is actually a first for the shelter and sadly he’s sick. Sarah commented, "We have a blue-tongued skink, a kind of lizard. He was found in Hunting Park loose. One of our staff members actually found him. He's not really handleable so he's gonna need someone who really knows what they are doing."

Fortunately Ferdinand, who’s been hanging out in Barnett’s office, found himself a rescue at a sanctuary that takes gators. Barnett said, "They immediately said yes. We're really fortunate. They have the right facilities and everything because the gators are going to grow to eight or nine feet. You can't have that in Philly!"

What's next:

Of course, there are plenty of typical pets to adopt, including a sweet eight-year-old Beagle named River Song. ACCT Philly took in more than 100 cats and dogs in just two days, so there’s an abundance of animals to choose from who are looking for happy homes.

For more information on pet adoptions, visit ACCT Philly's website, here.

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