BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — A man from Upstate New York, whose 750-pound pet alligator named Albert was seized, is now suing the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) in an attempt to have his beloved animal returned. He claims that the agency was unjust in not renewing his license for the alligator, which he had cared for over a span of 30 years.
In March, conservation officers entered Tony Cavallaro’s home in the Buffalo suburb of Hamburg. They sedated the 11-foot alligator, Albert, taped his mouth shut, and took him away, citing that Cavallaro’s license for keeping the reptile had expired in 2021 and had not been renewed.
In the lawsuit filed with the state Supreme Court, Cavallaro argues that the DEC’s decision to deny his license was not grounded in facts, stated his attorney, Peter Kooshoian, on Tuesday. The objective is to have his license reinstated so that he can seek the return of Albert, as Cavallaro believes he should have been issued a valid license, as he had been for the past three decades.
The DEC declined to comment on the ongoing legal matter when asked for a response to the allegations, mentioning that the enclosure for Albert did not meet the standards to prevent contact with people and that the alligator suffered from blindness and spinal issues, which Cavallaro disputes.
Cavallaro had acquired Albert, an American alligator, at an Ohio reptile show in 1990 when the pet was just two months old. He sees Albert as an emotional support animal and a “gentle giant.”
The license complication arose following a change in regulations for owning dangerous animals introduced by the DEC in 2020. After Cavallaro’s license expired in 2021, the DEC asserted that he had not made the necessary adjustments to the holding area to conform to the updated safety criteria, to ensure that the alligator did not pose risks to the public.
Albert was taken to Gator Country, a rescue facility in Beaumont, Texas, where guests can interact with alligators and other reptiles. Cavallaro expressed his dismay, feeling like he had been dealt a blow.