Authorities Confiscate Alligator From Brooklyn Man's Home
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A Brooklyn man is facing fines and possible jail time for keeping a 3-foot-long alligator as a pet inside his home.
As 1010 WINS' Carol D'Auria reported, Victor Alexandria said his alligator is more than a pet.
"Well his name is Dino, he's 3 years old. You know, he's been my friend 'cause I think all animals are my friend. I got him since he fit in the palm of my hand. (Does he bite?) No, I have kids hold him all the time on the boardwalk," he said.
That may be true, but Dino was taken from Alexandria on a misdemeanor charge of improper precaution of a wild animal.
Alexandria would sometimes keep the animal in a small child's pool behind his house on Bay 40th Street in Bensonhurst, D'Auria reported.
Alexandria didn't appear to take the charges very seriously. In fact, he doesn't think the judge did either.
"The judge laughed me out of court," he said. "He said 'this is the first time I've ever had an alligator caper.'"
Nonetheless, the case against him is moving forward. Alexandria faces a $500 fine and up to a year in jail.
The alligator was taken to an animal shelter.
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