MONTREAL -- The alligator that made national headlines when it was spotted crossing a Montreal street in December is back in the news for less amusing reasons.
The alligator, which is owned by a company in Sainte-Julie, south of Montreal, bit a preschool-aged girl this past weekend, according to a complaint filed to local police.
The girl was bitten Feb. 1 at the home of the owner of the alligator, but police were only alerted Feb. 3, said Sgt. Jean-Luc Tremblay of the Richelieu-Saint-Laurent police force.
The girl suffered only minor injuries and did not need to be hospitalized, Tremblay said.
The city of Sainte-Julie has fined the alligator's owner, a repeat offender, $250 for contravening its bylaw that forbids people from having exotic animals in their homes. (The owner is licensed to own the alligator, but not to keep it at home).
Tremblay said police are still sussing out precisely how the incident occurred and are determining whether there is enough evidence to pursue a criminal investigation against the alligator's owner. Wildlife officials are helping police with their investigation.
Video of the alligator crossing Jarry St. in Montreal's Villeray district on a Sunday morning went viral in December.
The alligator - which is used in educational presentations and for entertainment events - had gotten loose while being transported by its owners.
