GRANITE FALLS, Wash. — The "Gater of Granite" which turned out to be a pet lizard named "Tazz" was reunited with his family Sunday after being found in a barn around a mile away from home.
The town of Granite Falls in Snohomish County was on high alert Friday afternoon after Granite Falls Police posted a photo of what was believed to be a 10-foot-long alligator a resident saw roaming the area.
When police posted that a gator was seen, people were shocked and the post was shared hundreds of times, with people calling it the "Gator of Granite." But turns out, it was not an alligator, but a 4-foot-long pet lizard named Tazz who somehow escaped out of Shanna Duncan’s home.
“He recognizes ‘Tazz’ and different noises,” said Duncan on Saturday as she searched the area of Frank Mason Park for Tazz where she said she saw lizard tracks near the water.
She said Tazz is an Argentine White Tegu that escaped their house on Friday afternoon. She said he generally stays inside and that he was still missing Saturday evening.
She found out he escaped after her son Avery saw the post on the Granite Falls Police Department's Facebook page about an alligator sighting in Granite Falls.
“I thought, that’s weird, because I am the only person I know with a four-foot lizard,” said Duncan.
That's when she realized Tazz had escaped.
She then started letting people know online it was not an alligator, but her beloved pet lizard, asking people not to harm him.
“He's very docile. You can hug him, he sleeps with my cat,” said Duncan. “He’s a very beloved pet. We've had him for ten years. He's part of the family.”
She said the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office had been searching for Tazz and that drones were used to search in the area.
“I appreciate everybody so much, just for helping my family find this guy,” said Duncan.