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Man Kept Illegal Pet Alligator Because 'Chicks Dig It'

By Stephanie Rabiner, Esq. on May 11, 2011 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Chicks dig alligators.

Or at least Dewayne Yarbrough thinks so.

Which is why he has been illegally housing a pet alligator for the last five years.

As in most localities, it's illegal to keep a pet alligator in Cook County, which is why, when a do-gooder spotted the American alligator in the home of Dewayne Yarbrough, he called the local Sheriff.

The Sheriff's animal crimes unit found the pet alligator in Yarbrough's kitchen, reports The Chicago Tribune. Though most alligators near 14 feet in length, this one came up short at only 4 feet long.

Dewayne Yarbrough was keeping it in a small fish tank and only feeding it 10 live mice a month to minimize its size, reports CBS.

When asked where he purchased the pet alligator and why he had one in the first place, The Chicago Tribune reports that Yarbrough told police that he bought it about 5 years ago in Indiana.

And he kept the animal because "chicks dig it."

Unfortunately for Yarborough, chicks don't dig criminals.

Or men who harm animals.

The paper reports that he was released on a $100 bond and is being charged with possession of a dangerous animal.

Whether he will be charged with animal cruelty remains to be seen, as it's likely that prosecutors need to research the feeding and housing habits of those who legally keep pet alligators.

In the meantime, the alligator is residing with the Chicago Ridge Animal Welfare league until it can be transferred to The Chicago Herpetological Society.

Hopefully they'll feed it a few more mice.

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