WOODBURY (WCCO) -- A lost pet is usually not big news, but everything changes when the pet in question is a 30-pound alligator.

The alligator, named Roger, got out of its backyard in Woodbury over the Fourth of July weekend, and moved to a bigger pond on a nearby golf course.

Now that the City of Woodbury is involved, Roger will need to find a new home.

Roger's owner, Steven Virkus, has to appear in court next month after the city ticketed him for harboring an exotic pet, and he is trying to find Roger a new home before that.

"A friend of mine in Rosemont asked me if I wanted an alligator and I said sure," he said. "I got him when he was about 1-year-old. He's about 4 years old now."

Anyone who knows of a good -- and legal -- home for Roger, they can call Virkus at 651-224-3442.

"To me he's just like a normal pet, like a dog. You can pet him and he'll relax. He'll purr like a kitten," said Virkus.

Watch the report above to hear Roger's story.