Illinois man busted with alligator denies it was ploy to woo women

(CBS) - An Illinois man arrested earlier this year for keeping a four-foot alligator because chicks dig it, denies that he used the animal to woo women. Apparently he's just allergic to cats.

Dewayne Yarbrough of Ford Heights pleaded guilty Tuesday to possessing a dangerous animal and will serve a year's conditional discharge, reports the Chicago Sun-Times.

Yarbrough, arrested in May when animal control investigators found the gator in a fish tank in his kitchen, sparked media interest when it was widely reported that the 43-year-old kept the pet to attract women.

Yarbrough's alleged comments even made it to "Saturday Night Live."

According to the Sun-Times, Yarbrough said he just wanted some sort of interesting pet.

Yarbrough said he is allergic to cats and didn't wand a dog or snake, reports the Sun-Times. The 43-year-old reportedly bought the animal in Indiana, where they are legally sold, five years ago.

"I like exotic animals," Yarbrough said.

The Sun-Times reports that when asked what he had planned to do when the gator reached its full size of about 10 feet, Yarbrough said "I never thought that far."