Man says his emotional support alligator, known for his large social media following, is missing

national news

Wally’s popularity reached new heights last year when the alligator was refused entry to a Philadelphia Phillies game.

By TATION VEREAR and DETERRUISSET REPREHENDUNT, Associated Press

May 2, 2024 | 9:08 a.m.

BRUNSWICK, Ga. (AP) — A Pennsylvania man who credits an alligator named Wally with helping him ease his depression for nearly a decade says he’s searching for the reptile after it disappeared while vacationing on the coast of Georgia.

Joie Henney has thousands of social media users who follow his pages dedicated to Wally, the cold-blooded sidekick he calls his emotional support alligator. He posted photos and videos online of people petting the 1.7-meter alligator like a dog or hugging it like a teddy bear. Wally’s popularity reached new heights last year when the alligator was refused entry to a Philadelphia Phillies game.

Now, Henney says he’s distraught after Wally disappeared while he accompanied her on vacation in April to Brunswick, Ga., a port city 70 miles south of Savannah. He said he suspected someone stole Wally from the fenced outdoor enclosure where Wally spent the night on April 21.

In social media posts, Henney said pranksters left Wally outside the home of someone who called authorities, leading to his alligator being trapped and released into the wild.

“We need all the help we can get to bring my baby back,” Henney said in a tearful video posted to TikTok. “Please, we need your help.”

Henney said he did not have time to speak when The Associated Press contacted him by phone Wednesday morning. He did not immediately return follow-up messages.

The Jonestown, Pennsylvania, man previously said he got Wally in 2015 after the alligator was rescued in Florida at 14 months old. Henney told the Philadelphia Inquirer in 2019 that Wally helped ease depression following the deaths of several close friends. He said a doctor treating his depression approved Wally’s status as an emotional support animal.

“He never tried to bite anyone,” Henney told the newspaper.

No one has filed a police report about the missing alligator in Brunswick and surrounding Glynn County, according to city and county police department spokespersons.

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources confirmed that someone in the Brunswick area reported a nuisance alligator on April 21 – the day Henney said Wally was missing – and that a licensed trapper was sent to capture it . The agency said in a statement that the alligator was “released in a remote location” but stressed that it did not know if the reptile was Wally.

It is illegal in Georgia to keep alligators without a special license or permit, and the state Department of Natural Resources says it does not grant permits for pet alligators. Pennsylvania does not have a law prohibiting the possession of alligators, although it is illegal for owners to release them into the wild, according to the Fish and Boat Commission.

David Mixon, a wildlife biologist and coastal supervisor for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, has handled many alligators reported in people’s yards and swimming pools. He also showed alligators kept in captivity in presentations to school groups and Boy Scout troops.

He said even alligators that appear docile can be dangerous and he always makes sure to keep their mouths closed with one hand or, preferably, a bracelet.

“They are unpredictable and often react to stimulus,” Mixon said. “There are a lot of videos and photos of people handling alligators, and they do it without getting hurt. But the more time you spend with them, the more likely you are to get hurt.

Authorities in the neighboring state of Florida, home to about 1.3 million alligators, have recorded more than 450 cases of alligators biting humans without provocation since 1948. That includes more than 90 alligator bites since 2014, including six fatalities.

In areas where people can legally own alligators, they may be considered emotional support animals, said Lori Kogan, a psychologist and professor at Colorado State University who studies interactions between alligators. humans and animals.

Unlike service animals that help people with disabilities such as blindness or post-traumatic stress, emotional support animals do not have special training, Kogan said. They also don’t have an official registry, although medical professionals often write approval letters for owners with a diagnosed mental health issue.

“People can get very attached to a variety of animals,” Kogan said. “Can you get attached to a reptile? Can this bring you comfort? I would say yes. Me personally ? No.”