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Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsGator Aid: Man says emotional support alligator helps his depression
NOT THE ONION and NOT FLORIDA MAN!https://apnews.com/6cf8234a7a5a492eabfa4b0e319f2ec3
YORK HAVEN, Pa. (AP) A Pennsylvania man says his emotional support alligator helps him deal with his depression.
Joie Henney, 65, said his registered emotional support animal named Wally likes to snuggle and give hugs, despite being a 5-foot-long alligator. The York Haven man said he received approval from his doctor to use Wally as his emotional support animal after not wanting to go on medication for depression, he told Philly.com.
I had Wally, and when I came home and was around him, it was all OK, he said. My doctor knew about Wally and figured it works, so why not?
Wally was rescued from outside Orlando at 14 months old and is still growing; Henney said Wally could be 16 feet long one day. Henney says Wally eats chicken wings and shares an indoor plastic pond with a smaller rescue alligator named Scrappy.
Wally, who turns 4 this year, is a big teddy bear, in Henneys words. The cold-blooded reptile likes to rest his snout on Henneys, and he likes to give hugs, he said.
The alligator has never bitten anyone and is even afraid of cats, according to Henney.
Henney acknowledged that Wally is still a dangerous wild animal and could probably tear his arm off, but says hes never been afraid of him.
Henneys background also indicates a comfort with creatures like Wally. He hosted a show called Joie Henneys Outdoors on ESPN Outdoors from 1989 to 2000, according to the York Daily Record .
Henney frequently takes Wally out for meet-and-greets at places like senior centers and minor-league baseball games.
Hes just like a dog, Henney told a woman at a recent outing to a senior center. He wants to be loved and petted.
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Gator Aid: Man says emotional support alligator helps his depression (Original Post)
fleur-de-lisa
Jan 2019
OP
He really ought to get a cat or a dog or a hamster as an emotional support animal.
PoindexterOglethorpe
Jan 2019
#4
One day this guy will feed Wally a chicken wing and lose a human hand, if not an arm.
fleur-de-lisa
Jan 2019
#6
Gothmog
(145,881 posts)1. I am so glad that this man is not from Texas
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,982 posts)2. If Wally makes him feel better, that's great, but
I hope he doesn't try to take him onto an airplane.
fleur-de-lisa
(14,629 posts)3. I hope I never have to sit next to Wally on an airplane!
PoindexterOglethorpe
(25,928 posts)4. He really ought to get a cat or a dog or a hamster as an emotional support animal.
People who take non-domesticated animals into their homes are essentially idiots. Alligators are not bonded to humans, and it's probably only a matter of time before something bad happens.
democratisphere
(17,235 posts)5. As Wally gets bigger and hungrier, this will likely not end well.
fleur-de-lisa
(14,629 posts)6. One day this guy will feed Wally a chicken wing and lose a human hand, if not an arm.
democratisphere
(17,235 posts)7. So true. Wally the alligator is a wild primitive animal.
akraven
(1,975 posts)8. We always called them agitators, but swam in lakes, ponds and rivers with them anyway.
There was one biggun (Florida slang) who was at least 14' and a cruiser.
Ron Obvious
(6,261 posts)9. They're not real exciting pets
bluestarone
(17,110 posts)10. Well i don't believe depression
Is his biggest problem right now!
KayF
(1,345 posts)11. Related story
United Airlines tightens rules on emotional support animals on flights
https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/2019/01/03/emotional-support-animals-united-tightens-rules/2472782002/
https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/2019/01/03/emotional-support-animals-united-tightens-rules/2472782002/