Exotic reptile reunited with owner after being found on Brackenridge golf course

Worker first mistook lizard for a child's toy

UPDATE: The lizard has been reunited her owner after being stolen from her owner's backyard.

The giant tegu's name is Dottie and her owner, a local Army veteran, wished to remain anonymous.

A theif broke into Dottie's cage in late August while she was in her crate sunbathing, according to a press release.

Dottie immediately curled up on her owner’s chest while he told her story and showed off pictures, the press release stated.

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ORIGINAL STORY: A Parks and Recreation staff member happened upon an exotic reptile on the Brackenridge golf course Tuesday.

The worker initially thought the 2-foot-long lizard might be a plastic children's toy, but soon realized it was a living creature.

Maintenance workers chased it in an attempt to capture it. They were able to get it into a trash can and called Animal Care Services.

The lizard has been identified as a giant tegu, a lizard normally found in South America, not San Antonio.

ACS officials believe someone may have abandoned the lizard near the San Antonio River. ACS workers have named the giant tegu Godzilla and are working to find an appropriate placement for the animal.

 


About the Authors

Julie Moreno has worked in local television news for more than 25 years. She came to KSAT as a news producer in 2000. After producing thousands of newscasts, she transitioned to the digital team in 2015. She writes on a wide variety of topics from breaking news to trending stories and manages KSAT’s daily digital content strategy.

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