BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — A Hamburg man’s 11-foot, 750-pound pet alligator named Albert, which was seized by the Department of Environmental Conservation in March, will not be returned to the man before an ongoing investigation is completed, DEC officials said.
The DEC is investigating alleged violations of wildlife health and public safety laws and regulations by Tony Cavallaro, the owner of the alligator.
Until the investigation is complete, the DEC is unable to release veterinary reports or information on Albert’s condition. The DEC said the information would be released upon the conclusion of the investigation.
According to the DEC, “health assessments conducted by veterinarians and other experts are consistent with the preliminary evaluation of the health of the animal.”
The DEC stated they told Cavallaro in writing that the facility he used to hold the alligator was “deficient,” and outlined said deficiencies in a Notice of Incomplete Application.
The department said they provided Cavallaro with “a generous amount …