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TORONTO — More than 150 crocodiles and alligators have been rescued from a Toronto home and taken to a reptile sanctuary.

The Indian River Reptile Zoo, located east of Peterborough, Ont., said the homeowners approached the sanctuary about a year ago when the reptiles began outgrowing the enclosures in which they were kept.

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“They told me the number and I was like, ’Yeah right.’ So I went down and had a look, and sure enough it was true,” zoo founder Bry Loyst said.

Loyst said the married couple handed over the crocodiles along with some money, which the sanctuary used to expand its crocodile rescue building.

The voluntary surrender was the best possible outcome for the reptiles, he said, since people illegally keeping exotic pets typically sell or abandon the animals when they realize they can no longer take care of them.

It took the sanctuary more than 20 volunteers and four days last week to remove the reptiles from the home and transport them by truck to the facility.