Gwinnett Daily Post

File Photo — A young alligator, spotted in this September file photo, made Lawrenceville's Dunlin lake its home. It is believed to be the same alligator pulled from the lake on Wednesday.

LAWRENCEVILLE — Until about a month ago, Pearlie Bashir said the only animals she worried about around her house were squirrels jumping on the roof.

Now it’s a baby alligator that Bashir said is about three feet long, and has lived in Dunlin Lake for several weeks. Some residents said they have contacted animal control and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, while others only learned of the new neighbor when news reporters came to the pond.

Bashir’s backdoor is steps away from the pond, and she said neighbors previously gave bread to ducks, but those ducks haven’t entered the water recently.

Muhammed Kabir said he lives along the banks of Dunlin Lake, where the gator swims, sunbathes and stalks its prey.

Kabir said the alligator has become almost like the neighborhood pet. But other residents like Bashir said they’re concerned that the gator will keep growing, and some neighborhood children have said their school science books claim the gator could grow to 20 feet.

Bashir believes the gator was dropped off after someone didn’t want it as a pet. But if the DNR comes to evict the gator, Bashir doesn’t want any harm done.

“I don’t want them to kill it,” she said. “Just place it somewhere else.”

The Associated Press contributed to this article.