Police Tell Man to Say See Ya Later to his Alligator

An East Providence man has been forced to say ”See ya later, alligator” to his alligator.

Nicholas Lopes, 43, is now facing charges of possessing an alligator without a permit after state authorities confiscated a four-and-a-half foot alligator from his house on Friday.

The state Department of Environmental Management licenses few people in Rhode Island to keep exotic animals like alligators, mainly pet shops. And that’s where this gator went. It now is residing at Pure Paradise Pets in Johnston, said Gail Mastrati, DEM spokeswoman.

The East Providence Department’s animal control officer helped the DEM remove the alligator and transport it to the pet shop where it now is being held in a 300-gallon pond and being fed frozen rats, pet store owner Domenic Parisella told the Providence Journal.

East Providence Animal Control Officer Evan Barlow said that the concern is if the animal escapes.

“Reptiles of that nature aren’t the friendliest critters with humans, so it’s a public safety concern,” Barlow said.

Lopes is due to be arraigned on Nov. 20 in Providence District Court.

As for the alligator, who is affectionately known as Sludge, he’s getting used to his new accommodations.

“So we took Sludge out today so we can finish up his expanded house,” the shop said in a post on its Facebook page. “There is ALWAYS something to do around here.”