An investigation revealed the alligator had been left behind by a guest, an exotic animal handler, police said. The man was in Cheboygan with “several exotic animals” for presentations with elementary school students. The owner had been looking for the alligator named Wally, but he was unsure when or where he lost him, according to police.

On Friday the Cheboygan police department responded to reports of an alligator inside Pine Rivers motel room. Officers said housekeeping discovered the gator while cleaning the room after an occupant left.

A worker at the Pine River Motel in Cheboygan on Friday, March 14, 2025, found a 3-foot alligator under a bed. It had been left behind by a man who had been showing the alligator at local schools.