Footage of a little girl named Katie riding an eight-foot-long alligator was uploaded on Facebook and many parents are outraged. A Chicago company called Jim Nesci's Cold Blooded Creatures allows children to interact with the gators to promote "conservation through education."
The girl rode the massive creature named Bubba, while people gleefully looked on and laughed. While both Katie and the alligator were both fine, many viewers expressed concern for the safety of both.
Some said an alligator's back isn't meant to support the weight of a child, while others claimed an alligator is too wild of a creature to be let loose among children.
"Not only are the children at risk, but the alligators are, too," a Facebook user wrote. "Unlike horses, camels or pack animals, an alligator's back is not built to support the weight of a human."
“This isn’t funny at all," another user wrote. "That animal can easily turn and kill that little girl. This is simply irresponsible."
Bubba is a rescue alligator and described as the only North American gator "who takes commands from his trainer."
Jim Nesci claims that Bubba has appeared in hospitals, museums, and schools. While many were outraged, others wondered if this is a part of a recent trend called parent-shaming, where parents are judged for their choices even when children are unharmed and safe.
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