It's hard to tell if an alligator's smiling but, judging by this pic, Tewa seems happy to be home after being "egg-napped" more than 20 years ago.

Twenty years ago, a volunteer worker at  Animal World & Snake Farm Zoo in New Braunfels, Texas decided to take an alligator egg home and hatch it. Somehow, she did it and kept the alligator as a family pet for 20 years.

The alligator, named Tewa, seems to have had a pretty happy life and was well cared for. Tewa grew to 8 feet in length before Texas game wardens found her and took her back to the zoo.

Out of concern for the animal she put it in her pocket took it home and finished hatching it out of the egg and has really had it, really happy and healthy ever since," said Animal World & Snake Farm Zoo director Jarrod Fortham. - nbcdfw.com

The nbcdfw.com article added that: "Wardens said the people who owned the home took good care of the gator, but they also made it clear no one should keep an alligator as a pet."

That's probably true but, for what it's worth, I've known 2 people in my life who had gators as pets. Yes, gators ... plural.

I'm not naming names here or specifying exact locations because, apparently, not just anybody can own these critters and I don't want to get anyone in trouble.

Tewa's owner was given 2 tickets, one for possession of an alligator egg ... that's a retroactive penalty, I assume ... and one for possession of an alligator without a permit.

As for the gators that may or may not be in the El Paso area, no worries. The last time I saw them, they were well fed, well cared for and well secured.

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