Before the coronavirus pandemic took over the worldwide zeitgeist, there was the season of the loose crocodilian in Pittsburgh.

Alligators, crocodiles and the like aren’t native to these parts because of the harsh wintry weather, but they’re kept as pets by some people.

In May and June 2019, authorities responded to several reports of alligators roaming loose in the city. They were pets or being raised to be pets, but got to the size where a friendly nibble was more of a potentially-deadly chomp and were either set free to make it on their own or escaped their owner’s control.

On Feb. 25, 2020, Pittsburgh Councilman Bruce Kraus set out to so something about it. He introduced a bill to ban residents and businesses from owning, selling, exchanging or adopting crocodiles, alligators and turtles.

Since then, several issues have been raised about the legislation.

The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium would violate it. The zoo is already in violation of its lease with the city because of accreditation issues that also remain unresolved.

The ordinance proposed by Kraus has been held in committee during 11 meetings — and it was again held for another four weeks during Wednesday’s council committee meeting.

“There actually is progress being made,” Kraus said. “We continue to work through it.”

Council will take it up again at its March 24 committee meeting.

Officials with the city’s Animal Control division and Humane Animal Rescue, an agency that helped with the alligators that were found in 2019, couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.

Since those incidents, no others have been reported.

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)