Alligator Assistance Available on Amelia Island

If you would not call a three foot alligator in your driveway a Nuisance, would you call it Boots?

Yes, there is a number you can call if you need alligator assistance in Amelia Island, Fernandina Beach, Yulee and all of Nassau County, Florida. This came to my attention when I received an email notifying me that Animal Control’s telephone number has change to (904) 491-7440. Now my webmaster gets a little moody if I write articles that are too short in length, so I did a little research to post something more than, “The number you have dialed has changed to 9-0-4-4-9-1-7-4-4-0, please make a note of it.”

I adopted two puppies from the pound about six years ago so I already knew that the county’s Animal Control Department works hard to keep abandoned animals off of the streets and provide them a safe environment and that they also offer spaying and neutering discounts for the animals adopted through their service.

What I did not realize was that this is also the same number you would call if you find yourself in possession of a nuisance alligator. There are trained professionals that will be happy to provide you with alligator assistance. Unless one is referring to the University of Florida, I am not accustomed to seeing the words “happy” and “gator” used in the same sentence.

So, what is a nuisance alligator? The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission offer a Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program. SNAP permits the harvest of nuisance alligators that are larger than four feet in length. Typically, alligators that are smaller than four feet are not considered dangerous and are not relocated except in extraordinary circumstances. So, if you would not call a three foot alligator in your driveway Nuisance, would you call it Boots?