What happened with Albert the Alligator? New York ownership dispute explained

An alligator named Albert was recently captured by the conservation officers of New York, and the owner, Tony Cavallaro, is now struggling to get the reptile back. Tony has been sharing updates on Facebook regarding everything that he has been doing to retrieve the animal from the authorities.

The alligator was taken away from Tony's residence in Hamburg and the latter even built a swimming pool for the animal who had been staying with him for around 30 years. The Department of Environmental Conservation said at the time that the animal would remain with a licensed caretaker for some time.

While speaking to the Associated Press, Cavallaro stated that Albert was not a dangerous animal and he brought it from a reptile show in Ohio. He additionally established a separate location for the animal that slowly developed a close relationship with all of Tony's family members. The reptile's food includes raw chicken and pork chops.

Tony has also owned many other animals in the past. A petition has been launched at change.org where 100,000 people have signed until now. The page description stated that there were around 20 agents who came to capture the animal and treated Tony like a criminal.

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Tony Cavallaro has continued to fight for Albert the alligator's freedom after his capture

Albert is reportedly blind and his state license was not renewed after 2021. The Department of Environmental Conservation confirmed the alligator's capture on their website, saying that Tony did not have permission to have the animal at his house. The agency further stated:

"ECOs executed the seizure in conjunction with the town of Hamburg Police Department and the Erie County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) in the interest of public safety and the health, safety, and protection of the alligator."

The license was not renewed because Tony's house did not have the required conditions that would prevent the direct contact of the animal with humans and prove that the reptile was not a danger to anyone. As mentioned earlier, Tony established a few things inside his house for the alligator, including a pond with a waterfall alongside a spa jet.

Tony is taking the help of a lawyer so that the animal is returned by the authorities. He posted a photo on his Facebook page where he held the animal as it looked up at him. He shared a statement a few days ago, saying that Albert's capture has "destroyed" his life and continued:

"I haven't left my house since this happened. I miss him so much. I haven't hardly eaten anything and have gotten very little sleep. I'm mentally and physically exhausted. I can't believe these people are so cruel. They don't know anything about this animal. I know for a fact he wouldn't hurt anyone ever."

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Netizens demand the freedom of Albert the alligator

Social media platforms have been flooded with reactions after news of the reptile's capture went viral. One of them was Tony Cavallaro's friend Karen Freeland, who wrote on Facebook that the animal had been with Tony since the time he was a baby. Karen added:

"During covid, renewals were slow and licensing changes occurred leaving Tony unable to renew leading to this week and the DEC coming in and taking Albert."

Freeland also stated that the animal had a cataract in an eye and added a link to the petition which aims to ensure the freedom of the alligator.