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Big Mack: 8-feet-long alligator confined in Philadelphia basement for 12 years rescued

The animal protection officers had to physically struggle with the alligator to immobilize him before a team of three carried him out of the house

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA: An alligator, measuring eight feet long and known as 'Big Mack', was recently removed from a basement in a Philadelphia home. The owner, Yali, who only provided her first name, contacted the Animal Care and Control Team of Philadelphia (ACCT) last week to request that they remove her husband's 127-pound reptile from their property after the couple separated.

The creature, which weighed 127 pounds, was taken in by the couple in 2011 and confined to an improvised enclosure in the basement, which was kept padlocked. It is unknown if the couple legally acquired the alligator. The animal protection officers had to physically struggle with Big Mack and immobilize him before a team of three people carried him out of the house.

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Big Mack had been in the basement since 2011

The 12-year-old creature is currently residing in a temporary sanctuary, where he has access to ample space, an indoor pool, and heat lamps. In Philadelphia, it is against the law to possess an exotic animal that has the potential to be dangerous. Nevertheless, the ACCT has confirmed that they will not be pressing any charges against Yali or her former partner.

Yali called the ACCT to rescue the alligator and told CBS News Philadelphia, "I wanted him out of here." According to reports, Yali wanted nothing to do with the reptile, and it had not been fed for a period of up to one month. "My husband had him since 2011," Yali said. "We've had him all these years, been in the basement."

The ACCT in Philadelphia has opted not to pursue criminal charges against the couple, as they prefer that individuals seek assistance without fear of punishment. Sarah Barnett, Executive Director of ACCT Philadelphia, revealed that they had anticipated Big Mack to be significantly smaller and only five feet in length. "When we walked up to the padlock, there was this little window on the door, like you see in these prisons in movies," she told Fox News Digital.

The reptile was hissing and twisting around in the basement

"We all kind of peered in, and we just went, 'Oh crap'." The reptile was in stress and was hissing and twisting around in the basement. "It just made me sad because these animals are smart," Barnett said. "They're not dumb animals, so it was just sad to see an animal like that in an environment that is less than ideal when they deserve so much more. You wish you could explain to him, 'No, we’re actually taking you somewhere better.' So, we got him into the truck and it wasn’t super graceful."

The task of removing Big Mack from his basement enclosure and transporting him to the animal control truck required the efforts of three people. One person had to sit on the animal's back to keep him restrained, while Barnett sat on his tail and another person taped his mouth.

'His first swim in years'

Initially, the plan was to transport Big Mack to a sanctuary located in Michigan. However, due to his size, he was unable to be transported by plane. Barnett said, "We didn't have a container big enough for him and the plane wasn't big enough for him, so we took him in, but we had to pivot and think about what would be the best alternative. So the animal rescue team created a temporary habitat for him at their shelter where was filmed taking what is likely his first swim in years. He actually submerged his head, which is what they do to alleviate stress, apparently," Barnett said. "So just the fact that he was comfortable enough and you could just sense that he was relaxed."

Big Mack will remain in the temporary sanctuary before being relocated to his permanent home at the Jupiter Alligator and Wildlife Sanctuary in Florida.