The escape of a grivet monkey that terrorized children in Fremont last week illustrated the problems that can arise when well-intentioned pet owners try to tame wild animals.
Animal rights groups openly criticize the ownership of exotic animals, but some owners say it's possible to have pets that are unique and manageable.
Daniel Madrigal of Fremont has owned his alligator, Boots, for four years.
Madrigal walked into a pet shop looking for a dog. He fell in love with the alligator instead.
"I had never seen anything like an alligator," said Madrigal, a native of California, which bans exotic pets. "I really like it. People come over and say, 'Oh man, you have an alligator! Neighborhood kids come over when I have it outside."
The reptile was about 11 inches from head to tail and weighed just a pound when he brought it home.
Since then, the alligator has grown to 19 inches.
Madrigal is raising young children alongside Boots, so he's very cautious when he lets the alligator out of his tank.
"You have to control the situation. You tell everyone he is an animal, he will bite and if you want to touch him, touch his tail," Madrigal said.
If the alligator becomes aggressive, Madrigal said he would have no choice but to humanely put the animal down.
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