NEW YORK (PIX11)—A New York man is suing the Department of Conservation to get back his 750-pound alligator.
Tony Cavallaro kept an alligator as a pet in his home in a Buffalo suburb for years. The alligator, Albert, was seized from his home in March. Cavallaro said he purchased the alligator at an Ohio reptile show in 1990 when Albert was two months old.
This undated photo, provided by Tony Cavallaro, shows his 750-pound alligator, Albert, in Cavallaro's personal enclosure, in Hamburg, NY. Cavallaro, whose alligator Albert was seized, is suing the state Department of Environmental Conservation in an effort to get him back, saying the agency was wrong not to renew a license for the pet he'd raised for more than 30 years. (Courtesy Tony Cavallaro via AP)
FILE — In this photo provided by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, DEC officers secure an 11-foot (3.4-meter) alligator for transport after it was seized from a home where it was being kept illegally in Hamburg, N.Y., March 13, 2024. Tony Cavallaro, whose alligator Albert was seized, is suing the state Department of Environmental Conservation in an effort to get him back, saying the agency was wrong not to renew a license for the pet he'd raised for more than 30 years. (New York DEC via AP, File)
FILE - Tony Cavallaro holds a photo of his alligator, Albert, March 19, 2024, in Hamburg, N.Y. Cavallaro, whose alligator Albert was seized, is suing the state Department of Environmental Conservation in an effort to get him back, saying the agency was wrong not to renew a license for the pet he'd raised for more than 30 years. (AP Photo/Carolyn Thompson, File)
This undated photo, provided by Tony Cavallaro, shows his 750-pound alligator, Albert, in Cavallaro's personal enclosure, in Hamburg, NY. Cavallaro, whose alligator Albert was seized, is suing the state Department of Environmental Conservation in an effort to get him back, saying the agency was wrong not to renew a license for the pet he'd raised for more than 30 years. (Courtesy Tony Cavallaro via AP)
Cavallaro initially had a license for the massive beast, but it expired in 2021, and the state of New York refused to renew it, according to court documents.
Since March, Cavallaro has been tirelessly working to bring back his beloved pet, who he considers an emotional support animal and a “gentle giant."
In his lawsuit filed in New York State Supreme Court, Cavallaro argues that the agency’s denial of his license wasn’t “factually based,” Cavallaro's attorney said.
Albert the Alligator now lives in a rescue facility in Texas.
It remains unclear if Cavallaro has had the chance to visit Albert in Texas, where the alligator now resides.
This story comprises reporting from The Associated Press.
Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here.
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