A small alligator was found by guards at Chicago's O'Hare airport on Nov. 1 after a passenger saw it under an escalator in Terminal 3, according to The Chicago Tribune.

By using a broom and dustpan, airport officials were able to get the foot-long alligator to move away from passengers and waited with the reptile for animal control to arrive.

The gator was named Allie, but its gender has yet to be confirmed as of press time.

"Some human being physically carried it there and put it there,'' Chicago Police spokesman Hector Alfaro said to The Chicago Tribune. "It's not big enough to operate automatic doors.''

The animal was suffering from "improper husbandry and poor diet," according to Jason Hood, of the Chicago Herpetological Society, who spoke with NBC Chicago.

Even though Allie is a "small" gator, Alfaro said most people don't realize how hard it is to take care of one.

"Everybody thinks they're cute and adorable when they're small," said Alfaro. "One of the problems is they live so darn long, people don't realize, when your child turns 18 you can throw him out the door but this is America, you have to be a responsible pet owner."

Allie will stay in quarantine until it becomes healthier.

No one was injured at the airport, according to CBS Chicago.

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