| July 15, 2016 at 12:27 PM
COCONUT GROVE, Fla., July 15 (UPI) -- A Florida man is asking state wildlife officials to allow him to keep the pizza-loving alligator that has been his pet for 47 years.
David Van Buren , a retired firefighter, said the male gator, named Gwendolyn due to a mistaken identification of the reptile's sex when it was young, has been his pet since he was 9 years old and currently resides in his Coconut Grove back yard.
Van Buren said Gwendolyn is equally happy indoors.
"Once he was in the house, he didn't want to leave. I think it took us like three weeks to get him to go back outside. He was on the couch all the time, or in the bathtub," he told WTVT-TV .
Florida Fish and Wildlife officials said they opened an investigation after receiving a complaint about the 13-foot alligator, which is particularly fond of pizza and Chips Ahoy cookies.
"Unfortunately, Gwendolyn the alligator is not in the proper caging it is supposed to be," FWC spokesman Lorenzo Veloz told WSVN-TV . "Mr. Van Buren has been advised about this right now, and at the moment, we are investigating the whole situation."
Van Buren said he is willing to work with the FWC to find a way to keep the alligator at his home.
FWC officials said they have not yet come to a decision about Gwendolyn's fate, but Van Buren would have to make modifications to his property if the alligator is allowed to stay.
I wonder what kind of toppings "Gwendolyn" likes on his pizza ... Some kind of fish maybe ?
How about human flesh?
Well ... that is not their standard food . They have been known to eat small dogs ... but Gwendolyn is an indoor gator .
I assume the owner doesn't keep any normal pets, unless they're to feed the alligator.
My impression was that the gator was fed on junk food like pizza & cookies ...
This one is an indoor crocodile. If he and my grandson didn't have 1" of armored glass between them, things could get really interesting. The real question would be, which one would get eaten, or would they team up to eat Levi's sisters. At three years old, I'm pretty sure that Levi is capable of handling either scenario (probably the Croc is too).
I've never had crocodile for dinner . But alligator tail wasn't bad . It needs to be very fresh to not taste fishy ...
Useless fact #821:
Gwendolyn was the name of the transvestite that Paul Hogan felt up in Crocodile Dundee.
Note to self: Get a life as soon as possible.
That's good to know the next time I play Trivial Pursuit . Could you have picked a more relevant movie than that ? Doubtful !
I love the scene in that movie where Hogan and his girl friend are confronted by a couple of muggers, one of whom brandishes a knife. Hogan says, "That's a knife? THIS is a knife" and he pulls out a huge machete, making the muggers run in panic.
"That's a knife? THIS is a knife"
The movie is 30 years old and I still giggle at that one.
Me, too!
I hope this guy gets to keep his alligator-- I don't think he would last long, out in the wild...
It's possible HE won't last long if his pet turns wild.
LOL, Buzz!
That is crazy. I had no idea they even lived that long. This guy has probably used the phrase "see ya later, alligator" more times than anyone on earth.
Pizza is a proven health food for gators ...
Pizza , the perfect food :
Just think, Pizza Hut can now add to its promotional materials "Approved by Gwendolyn the Alligator".
Maybe its Poppa Johns ...
If Gwendolyn is the Alligator, who is the Alligatee?
LOL