Alligator surprises Florida family in the middle of the night, damages house

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Nothing will wake you up faster than a trespassing gator.

A family in Florida was woken up in the middle of the night by their barking dog. When they went to check on the cause, they found a large gator waiting for them on their front steps.

According to the family, this is something they’ve never had to deal with before.

Steffany Spratling, of Rockledge, Fla., spoke with Fox News and explained that while there are gators in the area, they’ve never come up to the house before. (Steffany Spratling)

Steffany Spratling, of Rockledge, Florida, spoke with Fox News about her experience. She explained that while there are gators in the area, they’ve never come up to the house before.

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"My husband and I were sleeping and our dog, Capone, started barking at 2:00 a.m.," Spratling said. "I turned on a porch light and the gator was sitting on my doormat. 

Spratling said she waited to see if the gator would leave but instead, it just paced back and forth from the window where her dog was barking, to the window where her son's bedroom was.

"…so then I called the police," she said.

Unfortunately, the police needed some help with this particular gator.

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Spratling explained, "They attempted to draw it away from my home and that didn't work either. They talked to me through the window and let me know that a trapper was on the way. When the trapper arrived, he was able to catch it but with some slight damage to my home (put a dent in a pillar), due to the thrashing."

Fortunately, the damage to the house can be repaired, Spratling said.

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"We've had several neighbors with the same issues with gators coming out towards them," Spratling said, "adding she believe someone in the area may be feeding the gators.

"We are on a canal and always see alligators in the back sunbathing or swimming and we usually just watch and mind our business, but this is the first time an alligator has actually came out this far and unfortunately at my front door," she said.