CHEBOYGAN, MI — A routine cleaning at a Cheboygan motel turned into an unforgettable surprise for one worker. On Friday, March 14, while cleaning a room at the Pine River Motel, a worker discovered something unexpected under the bed: a 3-foot alligator, curled up near a baseboard heater.
The motel supervisor, who asked to remain anonymous, shared their surprise: “We’ve found an iPad, earrings, things like that. But never a gator.”
The gator, named Wally, was left behind by a Detroit-area guest who had been using the animal for educational purposes. The man, who had been showing exotic animals at elementary school assemblies, noticed the alligator was missing at some point during his trip, but he wasn’t sure when or where it had gone. After realizing Wally was gone, the guest continued on his way back home, unaware that his reptilian companion was still hiding under the bed.
When Cheboygan police were alerted to the discovery, they contacted the guest, who quickly returned to the motel to reclaim the alligator. Police reported that Wally was calm enough to allow officers to handle him. In fact, two officers even posed for a photo with the docile gator.
Despite Wally’s friendly demeanor, the motel supervisor said that had they known about the alligator in advance, they likely would not have allowed the guest to stay with it. Fortunately, the gator caused no trouble during his unexpected stay.
The mystery of the missing gator was solved, and Wally was safely returned to his owner by Friday evening. Though the gator posed no immediate danger, the bizarre discovery left the motel staff with quite the story to tell.