750 Pound Alligator Could Be Headed Home To New York

A judge's ruling means Albert the Alligator could be coming home to New York. A New York man could soon get his beloved 750-pound reptile back.

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Are Alligators Illegal To Own As Pets In New York?

New York State has a list of creatures that are illegal to own as pets without a permit. Any New Yorker hoping to keep one of these creatures as a pet must obtain a dangerous animal license from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, which,

"Authorizes an individual with appropriate training, experience and facilities with required safeguards, to possess animals listed as Dangerous Animals for scientific, educational, exhibition, zoological, or propagation purposes."

The list of dangerous animals includes Crocodilians in the Order Crocodilia, and Albert fits the bill. Albert's owner actually tried to apply for a permit to keep him, but the NYS DEC denied his application

READ MORE: 11 Animals That Are Illegal To Own As Pets in New York State

Credit: WGRZ via Youtube

The dangerous animal permit may be why Albert's owner, Tony Cavallaro of Hamburg, NY, could get the gator back. A judge has ruled that the DEC must respond to Cavallaro's application or return Albert to him within 10 days, according to the NY Post. Prior to a change in the law, Cavallaro had a permit to own Albert. He filed for a dangerous animal license when the law changed, but says his application had been ignored.

In March of 2024, armed agents removed Albert from Cavallaro's home. Cavallaro said he fought back,

“I fought tooth and nail for this. They never expected somebody to come back and fight them like I did. They thought they were going to come in and walk all over me like some pansy.”

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Albert is at Gator Country, an alligator rehabilitation facility in Texas. The NYSDEC says Albert was not properly cared for, stating that he would be kept "in a separate enclosure to ensure it continues to receive specialized care consistent with ongoing physical maladies including blindness and spinal conditions from decades of inadequate treatment and care," according to WKBW.

Albert was with Cavallaro for more than 30 years. They can live to be up to 60 years old.

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