A man who kept a sick 11-foot, 750-pound alligator in a pool inside his home invited children to swim with the giant.
The 34-year-old reptile was seized on Wednesday from a home in the US city of Hamburg, which had a pond-like swimming pool.
The owner “allegedly allowed members of the public to enter the water to pet the defenseless alligator,” according to the state Department of Environmental Protection.
The massive alligator had several health problems, including blindness in both eyes and spinal problems when it was removed from its home, officials said.
The state's owner's alligator permit expires in 2021. The government later determined that the crocodile holding area did not meet safety standards. Authorities took action this week after learning “the extent to which the owner poses a danger to the public.”
“To be clear, even if the owner is properly licensed, public contact with the animal is prohibited and is grounds for license revocation and removal of the animal,” the NYSDEC explained to the New York Post.
The reptile lover has long fought against the seizure of his beloved pet “Albert” who has been with him for 34 years.
“As everyone may have heard by now, the DEC and SPCA took Albert away from me saying I was putting him at risk with him. Anyone who has ever met or knew Albert knows this is not true,” the animal's owner, Tony Cavalaro, wrote in an online petition.
“I took better care of him than most people take care of their children,” she added.
DEC said Albert was placed in the care of a licensed caregiver until he could find a place where he could receive permanent care.
