Emotional support gator visits local nursing home in Pennsylvania

[Sue sue]

Emotional support alligator visits local nursing home in Pennsylvania

It's not uncommon for emotional support animals to visit senior living facilities -- but those animals usually aren't alligators.
Joie Henney's alligator, named Wally, is 3 years old and about 4½ feet long. The unorthodox pet quickly turned heads on Monday as he walked on a leash through the SpiriTrust Lutheran® Village at Sprenkle Drive in York, Pennsylvania.
While some were understandably apprehensive about approaching a large reptile with razor-sharp teeth, Henney tried to put them at ease, encouraging residents to interact with Wally.
“He’s just like a dog,” Henney told one woman. “He wants to be loved and petted.”
According to the York Daily Record, Wally was rescued from Florida where a congregation of gators were set to be destroyed to make room for a development.
When Henney took Wally home to Pennsylvania, the young gator was just 14 months old and about 1½ feet long.
At first, he said Wally was afraid of everything. But soon, the alligator started to become relatively domesticated.
“He was a like a little puppy dog,” Henney said. “He would follow us around the house.”
Henney, a former television host who had his own hunting and fishing show, started bringing Wally to schools and senior centers to educate people about alligators. That's when he noticed the gator appeared to have a calming presence, so he decided to have Wally registered as an emotional support animal.
Henney built a 300-gallon pond in his living room for Wally and his other gator, a 2-year-old named Scrappy. He said Wally enjoys watching TV, and said his favorite movie is "The Lion King."
Though Wally has never tried to bite anyone, Henney warned that he's still a wild animal.

http://www.fox13news.com/news/emotional-support-alligator-visits-senior-living-facility

 

[Babs]

"Though Wally has never tried to bite anyone, Henney warned that he's still a wild animal."

Never tried to bite anyone - yet. Sure hope he and the schools/nursing facilities have plenty of insurance to cover gator bites in case Henney gets annoyed with all those tasty fingers hanging about!

Post automatically merged: Jan 18, 2019

I mean Wally!

 

[Sue sue]

Good gator don’t bit grandma’s hand

 

[lithiumgirl]

Oh look how little he is ... he's cute.

Look at the ladies in the back ... those bitches are crazy lets sit way back here!

 

[MildlyMedicated]

Aww this is such a feel good story.

 

[Brillig]

I had a relative who had a pet otter. This was around 1960. He bought a house with an indoor pool so the otter would have a place to swim. There were numerous articles in the newspaper about him and the otter.

 

[Sejanus]

Gators are not dogs. Premise of the story saying that this creature is just like a dog and a great emotional support animal is utter garbage. Someone is going to get chewed up. It isn't a question of if it is a question of when. God people are absolute morons

 

[Fellofftheporch]

Look into that gator's eye.... He's plotting. He doesn't care about those old people touching him. He's buying time waiting for the perfect moment.

 

[lithiumgirl]

Gators are not dogs. Premise of the story saying that this creature is just like a dog and a great emotional support animal is utter garbage. Someone is going to get chewed up. It isn't a question of if it is a question of when. God people are absolute morons

Look at him though ... he's so cute. I never thought I say that about an alligator.

 

[Sejanus]

Look at him though ... he's so cute. I never thought I say that about an alligator.

Cuteness has nothing to do with it. We're talkin primeval lizard brain with a mouth packed with razor- sharp kill points. It will latch onto someone and while they are struggling to get away they will be calling for Matlock to come and help litigate the case

 

[lithiumgirl]

Matlock ... oh i got I straight from the guts laugh there.

 

[Kittyskyfish]

That's right ladies. Pet the reptile and don't wash your hands. It's all fun and games until someone with a weak immune system gets sick from salmonella poisoning.

 

[Sugar Cookie]

Wally the emotional support alligator is at the center of a gatornapping and hasn’t been seen for nearly a week, his owner said in a Facebook post.

Joie Henney, who lives in Dauphin County, made a post to Wally’s Facebook page saying he was stolen on Sunday, April 21, between 4:30 and 7 a.m. while visiting friends in Brunswick, Georgia.

“This is not a joke,” the post said.

Henney said Wally was taken from his enclosure and has not been seen since, despite organizing multiple walking searches. Henney is trying to obtain a permit required under Georgia law so local animal control officers can help look for Wally, according to CBS21.

Although emotional support alligators are not common, Wally has an impressive resume including walking down the aisle of a wedding in his finest tuxedo, “speaking” at schools and events, and meeting Philadelphia Flyers mascot Gritty.

Pa.’s Wally the emotional support alligator stolen while on vacation

The adored emotional support alligator, whose owner lives in Dauphin County, was stolen from his enclosure in Georgia just under a week ago and has not been seen since.

www.pennlive.com

 

[Crazy Cat Lady]

I can’t believe I’m actually saying this, but I hope they get Wally back.

 

[Symmachus]

"Gatornapping". That's a new one. Whomever would do that is full of crock.