On Thursday, police dedicated to protecting the environment took into custody a massive 11-foot alligator that was blind. This alligator had been interacting with people, including children, at its owner’s home.
The owner, named Tony Cavallaro, had made a unique choice by installing an in-ground swimming pool in his house located in Hamburg, New York. This pool was not just for human guests but also housed his 30-year-old alligator, which he kept on a permit that was no longer valid.
Cavallaro had been letting visitors enter the pool to touch the alligator that was not restrained in any way. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation released a statement highlighting that allowing the public to have contact with the alligator went against their safety guidelines.
The alligator, suffering from blindness in both eyes and having issues with its spine, is now in the care of a qualified individual. It will stay there until a forever home is found for it.
Cavallaro shared with the Associated Press his deep affection for the alligator, named Albert, who weighs 750 pounds. He insisted that he and the alligator posed no danger to others, emphasizing the safe environment he believed he provided. The state’s environmental authorities are still considering whether to file charges against him.