Blind, Special Needs Alligator Pet Removed From NY Home and It's Heartbreaking

Albert the Alligator was removed from the home of Tony Cavallaro in last Wednesday by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation after it was determined Cavallaro kept the alligator there illegally.

Albert, who weighs 750 pounds and is 11 feet long, lived in a specially built room on Cavallaro's property, equipped with a pool and a small waterfall for 34 years.

On the Change Org petition Cavallaro writes, "Everyone has probably already heard The DEC and SPCA took Albert away from me saying that I put people in harm's way with him. Every one who has met Albert or knows Albert knows that this is not true. I took care of him better than most people take care of their kids. They changed the rules 2 years ago about what you need to do to have an Alligator. I've had him 34 years and abided by all of them and renewed my permit annually as required. I tried renewing it when they changed their rules and had questions to ask. They ignored my emails and phone calls to make sure I did everything right even though I should be grandfathered in."

Related: Pet Alligator Named Fluffy Rescued After Flash Flooding in Pennsylvania

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation claims that the owner had allowed people, including children, to be in the pool with Albert, who is blind in both eyes and has spinal injuries. The agency also said "the individual formerly possessed a DEC license for the alligator, but the license expired in 2021 and was not renewed."

In the comments section of the post, a lot of people want Albert returned to his owner. One person posted, "Let Albert go home. This story is so sad. He was raised with the man. Now that you ripped him away and he gets “mean” cuz he doesn’t know where he is or who you are, you are gonna hold that against him!! Free Albert." Another added, "Albert should be sent back to his residence and license reissued to the owner who has had him for 30 years. He didn’t need saving, wasn’t a threat to anyone. His habitat was built to spec at the time he was acquired and Albert never caused any issues in the Town. Free Albert now!"

Why Alligators Don't Make Great Pets

First off, it's not legal to own an alligator as a pet in many states. If you're in Florida, Texas, Maine, Indiana and a handful of other states, you're in luck.

But then there's the issue of space. Sure, this owner had a special alligator room with a swimming pool but alligators can grow up to 11 feet and weigh over 1,000 pounds. It's not really fair to keep an animal that large in a home.

It seems like Cavallaro was an excellent alligator owner but then there's also the issue of safety. Alligators are dangerous, wild animals! They have powerful jaws and can inflict serious injuries or even fatalities on humans or other pets. It's not like you can easily muzzle an alligator.

If you are interested in signing the petition to return Albert to his home, you can do so here.

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