Bearded dragon found in Idaho Falls Shelter looking for owner

UPDATE June 7, 2023: The Idaho Falls Animal Shelter says Sharky the bearded dragon has been adopted.

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - The Idaho Falls Animal Shelter is looking for the owner of a bearded dragon. They named the lizard "Sharky" the bearded dragon. "Sharky" was found by students at a local middle school.

Clarissa Hernandez, the special program coordinator for the shelter, said while it may seem unusual for a lizard to enter the shelter as a stray, it happens more than you might think.

"I would say we probably get about 20 odd animals a year roughly. So, ferrets, goats, pigs,  lizards, whatever it is that gets loose and is endangered, people are able to bring over here."

Hernandez is grateful people seem to know where to bring animals found away from their homes.

"It is a safe place. So we do not take in healthy stray cats ever. We want them to be left out there and we leave the stray healthy cats alone. But if it's an animal that is sick, injured, or causing danger, come on and bring it. And we want to help."

She says currently they are hoping to find "Sharky"s owner.

"Usually with an animal that's this healthy in this well, taking care of it slipped out of the house or it slipped out of its enclosure. And someone's probably looking for it.  So we're hoping that its owners do come and oftentimes they will."

She adds they will hold "Sharky" for the next 5 days before letting him go to a new home.