My personal thoughts are with the owner. GIVE THE MAN HIS GATOR BACK!!! ITS JUST A BIG BABY!
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I think it is sad, but whether the alligator is friendly or not there are risks and he needed to follow the rules of safety. Also his license had expired. I think he should renew that license and then get Albert back!
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Here is an inside edition video on Albert.
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$150,000 just for Albert!?! If he is putting that much love into his gator than he deserves him back
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Albert looks like he has a bit of rubberjaw or something else going on with his mouth, but other than that the owner was obviously doing his best and spending a lot to make sure that he was. It is really sad…
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That and he looks a bit chubby. But i honestly wouldn’t be surprised if the jaw issues were from back when he was younger
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As amazing as it is that he put so much care and money into making sure Albert was living his best captive life, this is wholly on the owner for not complying with regs and believing he should be given an exception despite the fact that he knowingly broke the law. It’s an attitude I’ve seen time and time again, and it’s frustrating.
I was actually stunned when he admitted he let someone in the pool with the alligator to take a photo. He justified it by saying the gator was down at the bottom and the person was in the shallow end, but that’s a level of reckless that shouldn’t be encouraged. These are not domesticated animals, this creature weighs over a third of a ton, all it takes is one off day and someone could be seriously hurt (or killed). Part of being a responsible keeper of any species is doing things to minimize the possibility of injury to the animals AND the people around them. This isn’t a public facility with multiple staff to ensure the safety of guests during interactions, it’s a guy’s house and his pet.
I decided to look up the license requirements, and the enclosure he was kept in, from what was shown on the video, does not comply with what is required. This was noted as to why he didn’t manage to renew the license after it expired in 2021. If you look at the room itself, there is zero barrier between the alligator and anyone that were to enter the enclosure. Other news reports include clips of children interacting with Albert, petting his head and face. I just can’t get behind stuff like that.
Now, they did say he’s had this animal since the 90s, and I feel like he might’ve had an argument about being grandfathered in if he’d been fully in compliance until then. Idk, it has always kind of rubbed me the wrong way when people treat animals of this size/strength like oversized puppies. There’s a certain level of respect and consideration you need to give to a creature with that much power. If you’re the keeper, you’re free to risk your life all you want. When you start getting other people involved, you up the risks and the blowback if something goes wrong.
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Figured I should probably post the video clip I referenced, because I find a lot of the news stories seem to overlook the actual root of the problem as to why the animal was removed:
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I didn’t realize that. That is definitely not a good move. I could maybe see it if they were petting his tail with multiple adults ready to distract and attempt to stop him if he starts to turn but really, his head!?!? I am definitely thinking that this is more justified now with the additional info. I haven’t really looked anything up as I am on vacation so it is really helpful
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Hmmmmmm. So the second video showing the kids with Albert is what got Mr Cavallaro in trouble? Aside from his delinquent license renewal? I am sure someone will correct me if I am wrong.
Has anyone given a thought about the total lack of responsibility of the parents/guardians of the kids in the same space as Albert? Whoever these people are they’re IDIOTS in the first degree. If that gator had maimed or killed one or all of those kids, said parents/guardians would have been the ones with blood on their hands first and foremost. What parent or guardian in his or her right mind would EVER let their kid anywhere near an albeit obese 750 gator? Ask yourself. Would you? Seriously?
As far as the “photographer” in the pool with Albert, well that common sense ship sailed a long time ago. Nothing more to say about that…….
And lastly what about the “seller” who sold Albert to Mr Cavallaro in the first place? How many more “Alberts” have been, are being, and will be sold before this stupidity ends? Yes Mr Cavallaro has committed a wrong, been punished, but more than likely if he doesn’t get Albert back, Albert will probably languish and die a sad death because Mr Cavallaro is all Albert has known in all his (Albert’s) 34 years of life. I am sure that wherever he is, Albert is not getting the quality of care he has been given in all those years.
This whole thing makes me sick. Animals are exploited every day, some people are just plain ignorant, and money making sellers will peddle anything for a buck with no care about the consequences. Not to mention that some states allow it. And then of course there’s always the black market. Yay!
Frankly I feel sorry for Albert because in the end he will assuredly suffer the most and he is the only living creature in this whole mess that has done nothing wrong. He needs his owner/security.
You know, kinda like snakes need “enrichment”…….
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I agree with this. He has too much faith in his animal not being capable of wrong when in reality there are too many capabilities to be risking things like that.
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I’m not sure it was the videos but just the fact that he was allowing the public to interact with Albert in general, which was against the conditions of the license. On top of that, Albert’s enclosure was not brought up to compliance with the requirements for licensing after the expiration and subsequent rule changes.
Honestly, while I heavily judge the parents allowing their children to interact with Albert, the fact of the matter is Mr. Cavallaro was the one who knew the law and needed to be following it. He was the one insisting this animal was safe and reassuring these people that close interactions were okay.
As for the seller, well, there’s always going to be someone willing to provide these animals, even though they shouldn’t be owned by the average person. I don’t believe crocodilians should be as accessible as they are, but there are plenty of people I’m sure who disagree.
I do feel, however, that it’s going a bit too far to say that Albert will “languish and die” because all he’s known is his owner, and to assume he’s being improperly cared for. For one it over anthropomorphizes the bonding capacity of alligators, and two, they’re not going to seize an animal only to mistreat it. Albert is likely in the care of a qualified facility and they confirm he’s already been examined by an outside vet. There’s actually every chance he may be moved to a zoo or other facility where he’s actually able to be better provided for overall. While reptiles can indeed experience emotion, there is no indication that they “need” people the way something like a dog would. So long as he’s provided the proper enclosure, food, veterinary care, and enrichment, he will do just fine anywhere.
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So would you allow your children to interact hands on with a 750 lb gator just because its owner said it was safe? Just curious.
Would you get in the pool with the gator to take pictures of it if its owner said it was safe? Just curious.
As a parent and grandparent I would say NO to the first question.
The answer to the second question is a resounding NO as well.
I could not glean all the legalities you addressed from the videos because that’s all I could see. But suffice it to say that Mr Cavallaro was in the wrong as I had already stated in my op. So agreed on that.
I said Albert would Probably languish and die. I didn’t say that he would for sure.
So I will agree to disagree with you from there on down because you don’t know for sure any more than I do what’s in store for Albert after the removal from his home. We are both speculating. And until we can get inside that croc’s little pea brain neither one of us can be sure what he is capable of feeling, no matter what that long “a” word you mentioned means! 
.
There is just something about that overly obese chunky croc that has stolen my heart and I will not give in to anything I have uttered because it comes from my heart. But I do hope your “speculation is right and my “speculation” is wrong.
I wonder if tthe zoo keepers are brushing his teeth………
Just one thing fo keep in mind, we are in the reptile hobby and they are not. They may not understand the situation that they are putting their kids in. It may seem obvious to us but who knows what they were thinking exactly; kinda like how we don’t know what Albert is thinking.
I know right! I really hope he ends up in a safe, good home.
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Despite the expensive setup the animal was not properly cared for. He has spinal deformities, a shortened jaw, and he’s blind at 30+ years old. That aside as someone who maintains a lot of permits, you have to be on top of stuff. And the letting kids and such around him in the water is beyond the pale.
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Even if the parents know nothing about reptiles, the simple visual of a 750 lb gator with jaws that can crack a leg should put the kabosh on the hands on experience for the kids. Unless the parents are blind deaf and dumb. You don’t have children yet Logan. One of these days you will understand what it’s like to protect your little ones. So you are definitely wrong here so @logar you might want to keep that in mind……
Again, the parents were in the wrong no matter how tame the owner said he was. I figured Albert was blind. But no matter, the kids should in no way have been allowed any near that gator, except maybe behind heavy duty plate glass……
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But am I? If an “expert” promised that he is perfectly safe than why wouldn’t they trust him? If they saw him petting his head and Albert not even move while doing it, than why wouldn’t that trust the “expert”? Who knows what he did and said beforehand? Again, we can’t judge the parents from a 2 second clip.
Nope. Terrible things happen when you least expect it and for no apparent reason. It’s a wild animal remember? Did not someone mention that in a previous post? Now if Albert’s jaws were secured/wrapped, then maybe.
“Experts” are not infallible Logan. You can argue with me until the cows come home but I as a mom know more about this than you do at your young age. I believe your own mother would agree with me as well. Wait about 10 years, and if you are a parent by then you should feel differently. At least I hope.
So yes the parents can and should be judged, especially if that gator inadvertently hurt one of those children…. So I agree to disagree.
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Honestly, in all my not too much experience, I would have to say that there is a case for them just taking his word for it. Think about pretty much any animal, let’s say a dog for example. Dogs can do serious damage, but the second their owner says they’re friendly, and if the dog seems to be acting normally, most people wouldn’t give it a second thought. Cows, horses, most domesticated animals can all be pretty dangerous to be around, but if their owner tells us it’s okay, most people just go ahead.
That being said, they also could be just bad parents. I’ve seen LOTS of people do really dumb stuff with wildlife in national parks, common sense is unfortunately not very common.
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