Ailing 750-Pound Alligator Seized from New York Home, Owner Under Investigation

State officials have seized an ailing alligator from an upstate New York home where it was being kept illegally. Environmental conservation police officers confiscated the 750-pound (340-kilogram), 11-foot-long (3.4-meter-long) alligator on Wednesday from a home in Hamburg, south of Buffalo.

Irresponsible Ownership

The home's owner not only built an addition but also installed an in-ground swimming pool for the 30-year-old alligator and allowed people, including children, to get into the water with the reptile, as per the state Department of Environmental Conservation. The alligator, which has “blindness in both eyes” and spinal complications, was found to have several other health issues.

Temporary Care

The ailing reptile has been moved to a licensed caretaker until a suitable permanent care facility is identified. The state's action comes after the owner's license to keep the alligator expired in 2021, and it was established that the alligator’s holding area failed to meet safety standards at that time. The agency decided to intervene after realizing the “extent at which the owner was seriously endangering the public.”

Legal Consequences

It is yet to be determined by state environmental officials whether charges will be brought against the owner for this negligence.