He may see you later, crocodile.
The 750 pound crocodile seized by government agents from a Buffalo area home could head towards the top after a judge ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency had mistakenly denied an application for permitting dangerous animals.
ALBERT – Gator, 34, who spent his life in a gorgeous pen at owner Tony Cavallaro's Hamburg home until the government knocked almost a year ago, may return home as early as April after a New York judge ruled that he must issue a new ruling on Cavallaro's application by mid-March and return to Cavallaro within 10 days.
“I fought my teeth and claws for this,” Cavalaro, happy but still determined, told the Post. “They never expected someone to come back and fight them like me. They thought they would come and walk me around like pansies.”
Cavalla, who was fully permitted to own Albert for nearly 30 years until state rules on dangerous animals changed, sued the DEC over the summer, claiming that his 2020 reapplied to keep the gators until armed agents appeared at the door a few years later in March 2020, was ignored.
The agent carried the animal away to a petting zoo in Texas before immediately denying the application, Cavalla said.
However, after the December hearing, the Erie County Court ruled that the DEC was erroneous by considering the rejection of the application after failing to respond properly for three years.
The judge determined that Cavallaro's original permit had been reopened and told the DEC about February 14th that he had a 30-day response.
“There's no guarantee, but it looks good,” Cavalla said of the possibility that he might see the Gator soon.
Although the DEC could technically simply deny the permit, the judge decided that it would first need to provide a “reasonable” opportunity to undertake renovations to enhance the public safety features of Albert's pen.
Such pen changes – $140,000+ enclosures with ponds, extensive water filtration, special windows, lighting and heating systems – are as easy as adding a double door system to add public safety and new fencing.
“I want him to live a wonderful life again,” Cavalla said. He was delighted with Albert's enclosure, explaining that all he cares about was the health of his “gentle giant.”
“You can't even imagine what's going on through his head. They don't think there's anything about the animal, and it's the farthest from the truth,” he added.
The DEC posted that it is considering a court decision.
Cavalla first bought Albert as a hatch around 1995, becoming part of the reptile and animal exposition he owned. Over the years he has come out of business, but Albert remains by his side.
The fight to bring Albert home has messed up the local community. Many were familiar with the exotic beasts that have lived nearby for nearly 30 years. Cavalaro, a community, said he was committed to attracting him through the ordeal of “traumatization.”
“DEC didn't know what the following I already had. He had already met me and knew how well he knew Albert and his care,” Tony said.
“He was loved by everyone. They didn't expect that.”
