Saturday, June 20, 2009

Department Takes in Alligators

By Maggie Ybarra
Journal Staff Writer
          Four alligators sit in a metal trough munching on dog food while they wait for their owner to decide their fate.
        The alligators were taken into protective custody along with two pit bulls and two pythons during a drug bust earlier this month, said Rick DeReyes, marketing manager for the Albuquerque Animal Welfare Department.
        "We feed (the alligators) dog food because it has a lot of meat, meat and mice," DeReyes said. "Right now we're keeping them in a big metal trough. You know the kind of trough a lot of times people will buy and put beer in for a party."
        West Side narcotics detectives, in conjunction with the Albuquerque Police Department SWAT team, raided Damon Hatanaka's house on the 5900 block of Camino de la Luna NW on June 5. Detectives found 3.2 ounces of crack cocaine in a paint can along with a digital scale inside Hatanaka's garage, according to a criminal complaint.
        Hatanaka, 30, was charged with possession with intent to distribute.
        DeReyes said Hatanaka's pets were taken into custody by the Animal Welfare Department because there was no guarantee anyone would be around to care for them.
        "What happened was these animals were inside the home, and we took them into custody just because there might not be anybody to take care of them," DeReyes said.
        DeReyes said Hatanaka, who is out on bail, has until Sunday to reclaim the alligators or they will be sent to an alligator sanctuary near Alamosa, Colo.
        DeReyes said there is a reclaim fee required for all of the animals in custody.
        The alligators will cost $25 each, in addition to a fee of $6 per day of their stay, DeReyes said.
        They had been in custody of the Animal Welfare Department for 14 days as of Friday evening.
        Hatanaka bonded out of jail June 5.
       

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