American Joseph Henney has a very unusual emotional support animal. While many people choose dogs and cats, he chose an alligator as his everyday companion. WallyGator has lived with the man since 2015 and became an emotional support animal after helping the owner with depression.
“I was depressed and WallyGator started doing stupid things to cheer me up. When I was on the couch, he would pull my covers onto the floor,” Henney told the Washington Post. Upon hearing the stories of the sharptoothed friend’s adventures, the doctor decided to propose the record: “I said, ‘Have you lost your mind? An alligator is the most feared animal in the world'”.
Wallygator and Joseph Henney (2)
WallyGator always joins walks with Joseph HenneyPhoto: Instagram/Reproduction
Walligator (5)
And she mostly works on LooksPhoto: Instagram/Reproduction
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Walligator (3)
The alligator is fond of children Photo: Instagram/Reproduction
Wallygator
And most of the time it is an attraction everywherePhoto: Instagram/Reproduction
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Walligator (1)
At home he has his favorite cornersPhoto: Instagram/Reproduction
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The statement of the 69yearold American comes from his approximately 30 years of experience in caring for reptiles. It’s often a temporary home for rescued alligators, snakes, and iguanas, helping to relocate them to wildlife sanctuaries and zoos. At home he has separate enclosures to take care of these animals.
On one of those tools, he found WallyGator. A friend gave him three alligators he found in a pond in Orlando, USA, and he decided to keep one. “I bonded with him and made a commitment to take care of him,” he said.
Popcorn with cheese and napping in bed
Accustomed to caring for reptiles, Henney offered special foods for everyone and analyzed what they liked best. “He didn’t eat live mice and really showed a fondness for cheese popcorn,” said the tutor. “I thought it would be different but I was still very careful with him.”
The man also recalls that he thought it would be a good idea to let the animal loose around the house and soon he started following it just like dogs do. Another sign that he was a bit different from others of his kind was that he showed affection and liked to be held. “I was like, ‘Wow, that’s a super cool, friendly alligator,'” he recalls.
Today Joseph Henney takes WallyGator to market, hugs him and the two sleep in the same bed. He reports that he keeps letting the animal hug him and that he is “super cute”. “If he turns his nose at you, it means he’s expecting a kiss.”
Although he loves reptiles and lives with an alligator, the American warns that caring for such an animal is not easy. They can live up to 80 years in captivity, “can bite and are extremely difficult to handle”.
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