DuPage couple accused of keeping baby gators
When Bloomingdale police heard hissing sounds emanating from the backyard of a Bloomingdale house, they knew they had a problem.
Two, actually.
Called to mediate a dispute between neighbors on the 200 block of Pinewood Lane in late September, officers discovered two baby alligators, each measuring 2½ feet, inside animal tanks in the backyard.
The reptiles were turned over to DuPage County Animal Care and Control in September, and they remained in Wheaton for about a week, officials said. Two people eventually were arrested on charges of keeping a dangerous animal.
Animal control officer Jennifer Berg said the reptiles were still babies but had the potential to grow to full size depending on their diet and environment.
“Alligators are unusual here, definitely,” she said, adding that animal control receives only a handful of calls about them each year.
American alligators grow to become between 10 and 15 feet long and weigh 1,000 pounds, according to National Geographic. Their average life span in the wild is 35 to 50 years. The longest alligator ever recorded was 19.8 feet, though some doubt the claim. They were once endangered but now thrive mainly in the swamps of Florida and Louisiana.
On Thursday, the home's resident, Patrick J. Bettis, 36, appeared in DuPage County court to face a misdemeanor charge of keeping a dangerous animal. Bail was set at $3,000, and Bettis will have to post $300 to be released.
Bloomingdale Police Chief Frank Giammarese said police could not locate Bettis during the September dispute and an arrest warrant was issued Oct. 25. On Wednesday, police found Bettis and he was later charged.
Assistant State's Attorney Debora Brewer said Bettis has a significant criminal history that includes multiple convictions for felony drug charges and other offenses.
Keeping a dangerous animal is a misdemeanor, authorities said.
On Friday, Allison VanDerVeen, 30, will also appear in DuPage County court to face the same misdemeanor charge. Police also issued a warrant for VanDerVeen, who lives at the same address as Bettis, on Oct. 25. She turned herself in two days later, Giammarese said.
A message left at VanDerVeen's and Bettis' home seeking comment wasn't immediately returned.
The animals were eventually transferred to a reptile expert who is involved with the Chicago Herpetological Society and has a license to care for them, Berg said.