'Crocodile' Rescued From Vashon Island Drain Pipe

VASHON ISLAND, WA — A crocodile was rescued from a drain pipe on Vashon Island recently, but this croc had a lot more fur than the reptiles found in the tropics.

On April 16, a dog named Crocodile was playing on a beach on Vashon Island when he spotted an animal run into a drain pipe. He followed, and kept going until he reached the end of the pipe, which was covered by metal bars — a measure taken to keep large objects out of the pipe. He got stuck and couldn't return to the beach.

A passerby heard Crocodile crying and contacted Vashon Pet Protectors (VIPP), a no-kill shelter and rescue organization on Vashon Island. With the help of King County Road Services, VIPP volunteers put a leash on Crocodile and maneuvered him up through the metals bars. Crocodile was later reunited with his owner.

If you're curious about real crocodiles, the only ones in the Seattle area were kept at the Woodland Park Zoo. But in 2017, the zoo sent the two dwarf crocodiles to Florida for their retirement years. There was an unconfirmed sighting of a croc-like reptile at Lake Meridian in 2016. The city of Kent put up signs warning about the creature, which, according to video, may have just been a beaver or otter.