Roaming 'Alligator' Who Sparked Fears in Washington State Turns Out to Be a Large Pet Lizard

“He is not dangerous and a very beloved family pet," the owner said of the reptile

Residents in Granite Falls, Wash. can rest easy knowing the alligator on the loose was just a large pet lizard.

On Friday, July 19, the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office sent out an alert via X (formerly known as Twitter) informing residents that deputies were “investigating the sighting of a 10’ alligator near the 9400 block of Ray Grade Rd.”

The tweet included a photo taken by a property owner in the area, showing a rather large reptile basking in the sunlight in a marshy area.

“The reptile was last seen south of Ray Grade Rd toward the Pilchuck River. No further information at this time,” the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office said.

Related: Zebras Escape from Trailer, Run Loose in Washington Neighborhood

A woman in the private Granite Falls Community Connection Facebook group later cleared the misunderstanding up, Fox 13 Seattle reported on Saturday, July 20.

Shanna Duncan said she is the owner of the "alligator," which turned out to be her pet white Argentine tegu named Tazz, per the outlet.

“His name is Tazz and he is very, very tame,” Duncan’s private post read, per Forbes. “He is not dangerous and a very beloved family pet. Please do not hurt him if you see him. Please contact me here or animal control.”

Although the sheriff’s office initially said the lizard was 10 feet long, tegus, a species of lizard native to Central and South America, rarely grow to more than 4 feet in length.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Tegu lizards are best reserved for experienced reptile handlers, though they are usually non-aggressive to humans, according to WebMD. While Argentine tegus have two large venom glands, their venom is not strong enough to cause harm to humans, notes SeaQuest.

However, it’s advised to be aware and take caution when handling, as the large lizards are known for their sharp claws, teeth and powerful jaws.

After Tazz was dubbed the “Gator of Granite” by locals, he was safely reunited with his family — Duncan and her sons Avery and Railan — on Sunday, July 21, per Forbes.

The trio located Tazz, who escaped from his enclosure, with the help of drones and a hunting dog. Tazz was found in a barn about a mile away from his home.

Granite Falls Police Department Chief Dalton later thanked the community for their help and apologized for any confusion, MyNorthwest.com reported on Saturday.

“We responded to a complaint last night and were provided with certain information and it was only prudent to post for public safety reasons. We apologize if we upset some of our community members but as we say, ‘safety first,’” Dalton said.

"The whole weekend felt like living in a movie," Duncan later told Forbes in an email. “The entire town came to my family’s aid. I think people really needed a positive story to make them laugh. This was definitely it.”

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.