A man who illegally raised an alligator in a Buffalo, NY, basement contacted the state Department of Environmental Conservation to say he could no longer take care of his 8-foot, 170-pound pet. Now the gator is moving to an animal sanctuary in Tampa, FL, where it can live among other large reptiles.

Although it is illegal to keep an alligator in New York state, the man who housed the gator in his basement won't be facing any charges because he turned himself in, officials said.

The man, who had built a pond in his basement for the alligator, won't be without company now that his gator is gone - he owns more than 20 lizards and snakes.