A man whose alligator was seized last week by conservation officers in upstate New York wants the reptile returned – and tens of thousands of people have signed an online petition backing him.

The reptile he named Albert has shared a home with him for more than three decades and has in that time become a beloved neighborhood fixture, the man told multiple media outlets. Because the aging alligator was raised in captivity, the man insists Albert poses no threat to the public and is little more than a gentle giant.

But the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation sees it differently: The alligator, the agency said, was being kept illegally and was regularly permitted to be around other people, providing grounds for removal.

Here's what to know about Albert the alligator and the ongoing dispute:

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Why did New York authorities seize the alligator?

Armed with a warrant, state officers seized the alligator last week from Tony Cavallaro's suburban home in Hamburg, New York, located south of Buffalo.

After sedating the 12-foot, 750-pound reptile, officers taped Albert's mouth and drove away with him in the back of a van. The alligator, which the Department of Environmental Conservation said has "blindness in both eyes" and spinal complications, was sent to a licensed caretaker until a place is found where the animal can receive permanent care, according to a news release.

Officers showed up at Cavallaro's home to haul away the alligator after learning the "extent at which the owner was seriously endangering the public," according to reporting from the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, part of the USA TODAY network.

The agency said it was spurred to take action because Cavallaro’s license to keep Albert, who is 34 years old, had expired in 2021 and he failed to bring the holding area into compliance. The license became an issue following a 2020 change in regulations for possessing dangerous animals adopted by the department.

But even if it had been renewed, Cavallaro had already violated rules for keeping animals classified as dangerous by letting other people pet the alligator and even get in the pool with him, the department said.

"To be clear, even if the owner was appropriately licensed, public contact with the animal is prohibited and grounds for license revocation and relocation of the animal," the department said in a statement.

Who is Albert the alligator and his owner Tony Cavallaro?

Cavallaro, 64, hasn't denied that Albert has interacted with other people at his home, but he disputed the department's characterization of his animal as dangerous.

Cavallaro, who has lived with Albert for more than half of his life after buying the alligator as a baby at an Ohio reptile show, said the animal has never showed signs of aggression, he told the Associated Press.

In fact, the bond between Cavallaro and Albert has become so tight that the man told the Associated Press that he considers him an “emotional support animal.”

The alligator had lived for years in a custom addition to Cavallaro's house complete with heated floors, a filtering indoor pond with a waterfall and spa jet, tropical plants and a bar.

“He’s just a big baby,” Cavallaro told the Associated Press on Tuesday, showing pictures of Albert gripping a stuffed alligator in its teeth and resting his chin on a stack of pillows.

Thousands sign Albert the alligator petition

Cavallaro's neighbors and thousands of strangers have shown support for his plight, with more than 128,000 people signing an online petition on Change.org for the man and his gator to be reunited.

Other fans have even created “Free Albert” T-shirts and buttons.

In the week since Albert was taken away, Cavallaro said he has unsuccessfully sought clarification to renew his license and believes he should have been grandfathered in to the old regulations. He's hired an attorney to help him get Albert returned, the Associated Press reported.

"I tried renewing it when they changed their rules and had questions to ask," Cavallaro said in the petition. "They ignored my emails and phone calls to make sure I did everything right."

The experience last week left him feeling treated "like a criminal" when conservation officers showed up armed and wearing body armor to take his beloved pet away. As the days wore on, he said he's been racked with emotion.

“It’s ruining my life,” Cavallaro told the Washington Post. “I miss him so much ... I can’t even explain it.”

Contributing: Saman Shafiq; Victoria E. Freile, Rochester Democrat & Chronicle

Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected]