An 11-foot, 750-pound alligator was seized from a home in the Town of Hamburg on Wednesday.
Environmental conservation officers with the DEC report they had learned that the owner of the home had built an addition on his house and installed an in-ground swimming pool to keep the roughly 30-year-old alligator. Officers said they had received reports that the homeowner would allow people to get into the pool to pet the unsecured alligator. Officers did note that the homeowner had previously had a DEC license for the gator but it expired in 2021 and was not renewed.
With the help of members of the Town of Hamburg Police Department and the Erie County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), environmental conservation officers secured the gator and removed it from the home.
The alligator has numerous health-related issues, including blindness in both eyes and spinal complications.
Authorities turned the alligator over to a licensed caretaker who will house and care for the animal until it can be properly transported for permanent care. Analysis of additional evidence seized during the warrant and consultation with a licensed veterinarian will determine any future potential charges.