Hamburg man fighting to bring gator home after reptile seized by DEC

HAMBURG, N.Y. (WIVB) –A Southtowns man wants his alligator returned home after Environmental Conservation Officers seized the animal earlier this week.

Tony Cavallaro said he returned to his Hamburg house Wednesday morning after running a quick errand to several law enforcement agencies outside with a warrant in hand.

“Everything they did to me, they treated me like a terrorist,” Cavallaro said.

The officers took his 11-foot gator away in a truck. Authorities said they turned the animal over to a licensed caretaker who will house and care for the animal until it can be properly transported for permanent care, but Cavallaro said he wants his longtime pet back.

He’s owned Albert for more than 30 years, and said he has treated the gator like a child. Years ago, Cavallaro put an addition onto the back of his house to make a room for Albert, fit with an inground pool.

Cavallaro said he typically gets his permit renewed on time, but, that recently changed after the DEC updated regulations, and his repeated phone calls questioning these updates went unanswered. Cavallaro’s most recent permit expired in 2021.

“I’d always get my permit renewal two months beforehand. Then [the DEC] started to get sluggish,” he said.

According to the DEC, possession of animals designated as dangerous, including alligators, is prohibited by New York State except under license from the DEC. A spokesperson said Cavallaro failed to meet specific conditions to ensure the alligator did not come in contact with humans and did not pose a threat to humans or the animal.

Cavallaro said in addition to paying for extra insurance, the new regulations would have required him to tape Albert’s mouth shut when around humans, and add a fence around the animal’s enclosure in case it gets out.

Friends of Cavallaro have been rallying around him since officials seized Albert. Doug Widdowson even went swimming with the reptile last year.

“He’s just a big gentle giant – he truly is,” Widdowson said. “I just dipped in the pool real quick, and I cautiously walked over to him, pet him on the head and gave him a kiss.”

Cavallaro created a Change.org petition, and within 24 hours received nearly 20 thousand signatures.

“He’s like family,” he said. “Everybody loves him. He has thousands of people, as you see, that love him.”

The DEC said they are analyzing evidence seized during the warrant, and consulting with a licensed veterinarian to determine “any future potential charges.”

Cavallaro has retained a lawyer, though he does not have a court date scheduled just yet. But he said he plans to fight to bring Albert back home.

Marlee Tuskes is an award-winning anchor and reporter who has been part of the News 4 team since 2019. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter.

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