Two People Arrested For Illegal Pet Alligator In Amherst [Photo]
Usually, when you think of alligators, you think of Florida. But as it turns out, a man in Amherst had one as a pet, which led to two arrests. A few weeks ago, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation received a call about a "rescued" pet alligator. A man says he took the 3.5-foot gator from a bad home and was looking to place it in a good home. Apparently, that was all a lie. He was trying to sell it but was unsuccessful in finding a new owner. When the DEC asked the man for more information, his story didn't hold up,
However, when questioned, the subject’s rescue tale fell apart and he admitted to buying the alligator to keep as a pet. Recognizing a 3.5-foot alligator is too dangerous and difficult to care for, the owner attempted to sell it without success.
Both the man who claimed he rescued the gator and the person who originally sold it to him were arrested and charged with unlawfully possessing the reptile. Additional charges may be pending. The gator was turned over to a licensed handler.
There are 15 reptiles that are illegal to have as pets and for breeding in New York State. If you are caught breeding or owning any of the reptiles below you could be facing a $500 fine for the first offense and $1,000 for any following offenses,
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any person who knowingly breeds a wild animal or knowingly possesses, owns, harbors, sells, barters, transfers, exchanges, or imports a wild animal for use as a pet or intentionally releases or sets at-large any wild animal, authorized by this section for use as a pet, from the location where the animal is permitted to be possessed or harbored in violation of the provisions of this section shall be subject to a penalty of not more than five hundred dollars for the first offense and not more than one thousand dollars for a second and subsequent offenses. Each instance of breeding, owning, harboring, sale, barter, release, transfer, exchange, or import of a wild animal in violation of this section shall constitute a separate offense.