DENVER -- The Colorado Division of Wildlife apologized Friday for offering advice on how to euthanize frogs, salamanders, goldfish or even baby alligators after hearing from the American Veterinarian Medical Association.

Concerns over nonnative frogs being released into the wild prompted the department to advise residents earlier this week to carefully consider how to get rid of unwanted amphibians or reptiles.

If a good home couldn't be found for unwanted critters, the department said, freezing them would put them in a hibernation sleep state before they die.

But after the medical association said it does not support freezing reptiles and amphibians as a humane way of euthanizing, the state wildlife division said it apologized for "suggesting an inappropriate method of euthanasia."

It insisted residents should find a taker for unwanted pets and that "euthanizing unwanted animals should only be done as a measure of last resort."