Florida Couple Find Alligator in Pool

When it comes to unwanted creatures in your family swimming pool, most people only have to worry about bugs or the occasional frog. But, Florida residents like Sharon and John Bente occasionally find a much toothier critter in their pools.

At 4 a.m. last Thursday, Sharon heard what she assumed was patio furniture being toppled by a thunderstorm, so she got up to investigate. What she found was an 8-foot alligator taking a dip in her pool.

Sharon told MySuncoast she had just one thought when she spotted him: Can I get back to the door without it seeing me or realizing I'm bait?

Sharon hurried inside and woke up her husband John.

[She] said, 'We have a gator in our pool,' to me, and of course I didn't know what she was talking about," John said. "I was still half sleeping.

The gator had torn through a section of screen to access the pool.

"And he was just swimming around in circles. ... I think he was a little intimidated with everybody watching too, John said.

The couple called the sheriff's department, which notified a trapper to remove the 8-foot, 3 1/2-inch gator. It was transported to a gator farm in Arcadia.

Ever have an unexpected gator encounter?