NY Man Surrenders Fight for 12-Foot Emotional Support Alligator

Tony Cavallaro gave up his legal battle to keep his 30-year-old pet alligator after it was seized by authorities.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 10:05pm

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A bold, graphic silkscreen-style illustration of a large alligator head in vibrant neon colors, conceptually representing the exotic animal at the center of a legal battle over emotional support pets.A colorful pop art rendering of the massive alligator that a New Yorker fought to keep as an emotional support pet for decades.NYC Today

Tony Cavallaro, a 66-year-old man from Hamburg, New York, had kept a 12-foot, 750-pound alligator named Albert as an emotional support animal in an indoor swimming pool at his home for over three decades. However, after the alligator was seized by the Department of Environmental Conservation in 2024 when Cavallaro's license expired, he sued the agency to try to get the alligator back. After two years of legal battles, Cavallaro has now decided to end the litigation, acknowledging that the state was unlikely to return the alligator to him.

Why it matters

This case highlights the complex legal and ethical issues surrounding exotic animals kept as emotional support or companion animals, especially when they grow to massive sizes. It also raises questions about how government agencies should regulate and enforce rules around dangerous wildlife in residential settings.

The details

Cavallaro had obtained the alligator, which he named Albert, at a reptile show in Ohio when it was just two months old. He kept the alligator in an indoor swimming pool at his home for over 30 years, allowing people to enter the pool and pet the animal, which violated regulations for dangerous animals. After Cavallaro's license to keep the alligator expired in 2021, it was seized by the Department of Environmental Conservation in 2024. Cavallaro sued the agency to try to get the alligator back, but a judge ruled that the state had 30 days to reconsider a renewed application, which was then denied. Faced with the prospect of more legal fees and stress, Cavallaro decided to end the litigation, acknowledging that the state was unlikely to return the alligator to him.

  • Cavallaro obtained the alligator when it was 2 months old.
  • Cavallaro kept the alligator at his home for over 30 years.
  • Cavallaro's license to keep the alligator expired in 2021.
  • The alligator was seized by the Department of Environmental Conservation in March 2024.
  • Cavallaro sued the agency in 2024 to try to get the alligator back.

The players

Tony Cavallaro

A 66-year-old man from Hamburg, New York who kept a 12-foot, 750-pound alligator named Albert as an emotional support animal in an indoor swimming pool at his home for over 30 years.

Albert

Cavallaro's 12-foot, 750-pound alligator that he kept as an emotional support animal for over 30 years.

New York Department of Environmental Conservation

The government agency that seized Cavallaro's alligator in 2024 after his license to keep the animal expired.

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What they’re saying

“They were never going to give me this alligator back, and it was going to cost me a ton more money. Another year and a half — at least — of stress.”

— Tony Cavallaro

“Tony's upset. He had the animal for over 30 years — never had a problem until this occurred. So he doesn't feel he was treated correctly by the government.”

— Peter Kooshoian, Cavallaro's attorney

The takeaway

This case highlights the complex legal and ethical challenges around exotic animals kept as emotional support or companion animals, especially when they grow to massive sizes that pose risks to public safety. It also raises questions about how government agencies should balance public welfare with individual rights when it comes to regulating dangerous wildlife in residential settings.