New York State Department of Environmental Conservation police officers (ECOs) on Wednesday seized an 11-foot, 750-pound alligator from a residence in Hamburg, N.Y. where it was being kept illegally as a pet.

The homeowner once had a DEC license for the alligator, but it expired in 2021 and was not renewed.

He also built an addition for the gator and installed an in-ground swimming pool where he allegedly allowed people to swim with it unsecured.

The gator has numerous health issues, including blindness in both eyes and spinal complications. ECOs transferred it to a licensed caretaker who will care for it until it can be properly transported for permanent care.

Authorities are analyzing evidence seized during the warrant, and consultation with a licensed veterinarian will determine any future potential charges.

“I first saw Albert through the window when I heard that there was an alligator living next door and I didn’t believe it,” neighbor Laura Lautner told The Buffalo News.

Lautner told the newspaper she befriended Tony Cavallaro, who has been living there since 2006, and has had Albert, an 11-foot, 750-pound alligator, for the last 34 years.

“They changed the rules 2 years ago about what you need to do to have an Alligator. I’ve had him 34 years and abided by all of them and renewed my permit annually as required,” Cavallaro wrote in a change.org petition.