There wasn’t any California lovin’ for a massive lizard roaming in Riverside.
When animal services officer Jenny Selter got a call Tuesday night citing a “large” lizard roaming a Riverside condominium complex, she expected the claim was a bit of an exaggeration. But upon arriving at the scene, she discovered that the loose reptile was no puny garden lizard.
Selter found the 5-foot, 45-pound, Godzilla-like monitor lizard strolling the neighborhood’s sidewalk. With the help of a police officer, she was able to wrangle the reptile into her truck.
(More on TIME.com: Reptiles in the Big City: Alligator Rises from NYC Sewer)
Despite being carnivorus natives of Africa, monitor lizards are not illegal to own in California. Once they grow, however, it isn’t uncommon for them to reach this size. John Welsh, the spokesman for Riverside County Animal Services, said he believes the lizard had been domesticated.
(More on TIME.com: Lizard Lover? L.A. Man Pleads Guilty to Smuggling Reptiles)
“We suspect that it’s been someone’s pet for a long time, because it’s so big,” he said. “I think they might let it wander around the house. Maybe it sleeps on a bean bag?”
Maybe this gentle giant is a scaly version of Fido after all. (via The Huffington Post)