Alligator enters Louisiana home through doggy door, couple says

A Louisiana couple recently woke up to a surprise when they discovered an alligator in their home.

Don and Jan Schultz, who recently moved into their home in New Iberia, Louisiana, from Arizona, woke up to their Australian cattle dog Panda, alerting them of the alligator's presence, Don Schultz told ABC News in a statement.

Thinking someone was in the house, Don Schultz headed down the hall to check out what his dog was reacting to when he found a 5-foot alligator, the homeowner told Lafayette ABC affiliate KATC in an interview.

The alligator entered the home through the doggy door, according to the station.

The couple called 911, and Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries officers captured the alligator, according to KATC.

"We are real grateful for the sheriffs and Wildlife and Fisheries that came and so thoroughly dispatched the creature from our house," Jan Schultz told KATC. "I guess it's off swimming in a bayou somewhere."

The couple said they recently purchased a pet door lock that only interacts with the dog's collar to prevent any further incidents.

"We are taking precautions and putting a locking dog door in now that only unlocks with the dog's collars, so we won't have this surprise in the future," Don Schultz told KATC.

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries did not immediately respond to ABC News' request for comment.