ANGELA LANCE: I am not sure there’s other
gators that are getting foot massages and manicures and seem to enjoy it.
COMM: The thought of being in close contact
with an alligator might be terrifying for most people, but not for this lady.
ANGELA LANCE: I am Angela and this here is
LillyGator. She is pretty close to being the most pampered gator in the world. She is definitely
spoiled. She does have a tiara. She has sunglasses. Dressing her up and painting her nails is
more fun for me. So, I am going to put Lilly’s brand new dress on her.
ANGELA LANCE: You are all right. It’s all right.
ANGELA LANCE: Stop. Stop. Stop. You are all right.
ANGELA LANCE: Good girl. Good girl.
ANGELA LANCE: There you go, Lilly.
ANGELA LANCE: Hey, Lauren.
LAUREN SHIVE: Hi. Hi, Lilly. ANGELA LANCE: This is Lauren. She is Lilly’s…Lilly
is her GodGator. She helps take care of her whenever I have to travel.
LAUREN SHIVE: You are looking very pretty in your dress, Miss Lilly. I prefer to stay on this side.
LAUREN SHIVE: She trusts her mother at the other end.
ANGELA LANCE: She has no desire to eat you
or me or anyone else. She has never bitten anyone. At her age if she were to bite, it
would definitely like say crush the bones in your hand. She would death roll just by instinct.
LAUREN SHIVE: I don’t get close enough to
be scared of her biting me to be completely honest.
COMM: Ever the snappy dresser, LillyGator
causes a stir wherever she goes.
LAUREN SHIVE: We do go on walks with Angela
when she puts her on the leash and she goes for walks.
ANGELA LANCE: I get some crazy reactions when
I have her outside on the leash. Obviously, most people are afraid if they hear her hissing.
ANGELA LANCE: Most people think that alligators
cannot be domesticated. And they are 100% accurate, but they are also can be very docile
and I do disagree with the conception that they can’t have feelings.
COMM: But far from being an advocate for alligators
as pets, Angela uses Lilly to discourage irresponsible owners.
ANGELA LANCE: I have always loved alligators
and about 6 years ago I happened upon some teenagers that had a alligator. Its conditions
were horrible. So, I rescued it. Got it back to health and eventually I did have to take
it to a sanctuary.
COMM: Angela knew that she wanted another
gator and she bought Lilly as a tiny hatchling.
ANGELA LANCE: I got her when she was two and
half days old. She turned four in August and she’s been like my baby since.
ANGELA LANCE: When I first got her I used
to just lay her on my chest here and rock back and forth with her to make her comfortable
and it’s something that seems to calm her.
COMM: Angela’s own parents have grown to
love Lilly too, seeing her as part of the family.
ANGELA LANCE: There are times when I know
my father is at dinner with colleagues and I will get the text , ‘Send me some pictures
of my GrandGator.’ And he showing her off in her little outfits.
COMM: It’s legal to own a pet gator in Angela’s
state of Pennsylvania. But there are other practicalities to consider, not least the
fact that Lilly won’t be so little forever.
ANGELA LANCE: She will continue to grow. Because
she is a female and in captivity, she won’t probably not reach the 10, 12, 15 feet.
ANGELA LANCE: But Angela is confident that
she is doing the right thing.
ANGELA LANCE: Lilly does have a better life
with me than she would if she were just wandering around in the wild. There is no predators
here. She gets a lot of attention and affection and I really think she likes that.