A Lakeland woman is being allowed to keep her 6-foot, TV-watching pet alligator named Rambo at home, the Associated Press is reporting.

Rambo, a 6-foot alligator, is the pet of Mary Thorn of Lakeland

She keeps Rambo in inside her home, brushes its teeth



FWC says gators more than 6 feet must have 2.5 acres of land

PREVIOUSLY: Lakeland woman hopes to keep her TV-watching gator named 'Rambo'



Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said Thursday that after a fight with Mary Thorn, the agency granted her a personal pet license, which allows her to keep Rambo in her home.

State rules say that alligators longer than 6 feet normally must have 2.5 acres of land.

Thorn has had Rambo for more than 11 years and keeps him inside her house, dressing the 125-pound reptile in clothes and allowing him to watch TV. Thorn says Rambo waits by the refrigerator for food, and she brushes his teeth.

Under the terms of the agreement with FWC, she can no longer do public appearances with Rambo, though she has taken Rambo to charity shows in the past in a motorcycle sidecar. If the reptile goes with her off of her property, he has to be leashed and taped.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

