Gwendolyn the Gator- Not Your Average Pet

A south Florida man is being told to give up his beloved pet after nearly 50 years.

FOX’s Tom Graham explains:

Retired firefighter David Van Buren says he’s had his pet alligator named Gwendolyn ever since he was 9 years old.

(Van Buren) He was on the couch all the time or in the bathtub. 

Gwendolyn was much smaller then. Fast forward 47 years and the male gator, once mistaken for a female, is now 13 feet long. That’s too big for Van Buren’s suburban Miami yard according to Florida Wildlife Commission spokesperson Lorenzo Veloz. 

(Veloz) Unfortunately Gwendolyn the alligator is not in the proper caging that it’s supposed to be. 

Van Buren though says Gwendolyn cannot escape, and it’s in his best interest to stay with him.

(Van Buren) Are you a happy little alligator? yeah? 

A judge ultimately decides the alligators fate.

Tom Graham, FOX News