Authorities in upstate New York removed a 750 lb. alligator from a home in the town of Hamburg, just outside of Buffalo.
The reptile had “many health-related issues, [including] blindness in both eyes & spinal complications,” New York State Department of Environmental Conservation said Friday.
It measured about 11 feet in length.
The home’s owner built an addition to their house and installed a swimming pool for the roughly 30-year-old alligator, according to conservation officials.
The property’s owner also allegedly “allowed members of the public to get into the water to pet the unsecured alligator.”
A permit allowing the home’s owner to have the alligator expired in 2021.
Hamburg police and the Erie County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals assisted in rescuing the reptile, which was placed in the care of a licensed caretaker until a long-term solution can be reached.
“Analysis of additional evidence seized during the warrant and consultation with a licensed veterinarian will determine any future potential charges,” officials said.
