CAROLYN THOMPSON, Related Press
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — An upstate New York man whose 750-pound alligator was seized is suing the state Division of Environmental Conservation in an effort to get him again, saying the company was incorrect to not renew a license for the pet he taken care of for greater than 30 years.
Conservation officers entered Tony Cavallaro’s residence within the Buffalo suburb of Hamburg in March, sedated the 11-foot alligator named Albert, taped his mouth shut and drove off with him, saying Cavallaro’s license to maintain the reptile expired in 2021 and hadn’t been renewed.
In his lawsuit filed with the state Supreme Court docket, Cavallaro says the company’s denial of his license wasn’t “factually primarily based,” his legal professional, Peter Kooshoian, mentioned Tuesday.
“We’re hoping that he’ll get his license to have the animal reinstated, and from there we’d prefer to both negotiate or litigate to have the animal introduced again to Mr. Cavallaro as a result of we really feel that he ought to have had a sound license on the time, as he’d had for the final 30 years,” Kooshoian mentioned.
The DEC doesn’t touch upon pending litigation, a spokesman mentioned through e-mail when requested for a response to the claims. It beforehand mentioned Albert’s enclosure didn’t sufficiently be certain that he wouldn’t come into contact with folks, and that the alligator was troubled by “blindness in each eyes and spinal problems” — circumstances Cavallaro disputes.
Officers’ seizure of the alligator, caught on video, and Cavallaro’s movies and images of him petting and kissing Albert within the customized indoor pool he constructed led to an outpouring of assist for the duo. “Carry Albert Residence” indicators nonetheless dot some neighborhood lawns and greater than 4,500 followers sustain with Cavallaro’s efforts on Fb.
“I’m hoping we get this factor resolved. That’s all I can do,” Cavallaro mentioned of the choice to sue. “It’s overwhelming me. … It’s ruined my complete 12 months, destroyed it.”
Cavallaro purchased the American alligator at an Ohio reptile present in 1990 when Albert was two months previous. He considers him an emotional assist animal and “mild large.”
The license grew to become a problem following a change in rules for possessing harmful animals adopted by the DEC in 2020. After Cavallaro’s license expired in 2021, the company mentioned he didn’t convey the holding space into compliance with the up to date requirements to make sure the alligator didn’t pose a hazard to the general public.
Cavallaro mentioned the DEC didn’t observe its personal licensing necessities governing individuals who already owned a wild animal when the brand new rules took impact.
Albert was taken to Gator Nation, a Beaumont, Texas, rescue facility the place guests can work together with the alligators and different reptiles.
“You possibly can work together with them in all other ways. It’s like a kick proper in my tooth,” Cavallaro mentioned.