Joel's Hear
I'm here, at least for now
Man says emotional support alligator helps his depression
In this Jan. 14, 2019, photo Joie Henney, of Strinestown, lifts his emotional support animal, Wally, up on a table to give a presentation at the SpiriTrust Lutheran Village in York, Pa. (Ty Lohr/York Daily Record via AP)
In this Jan. 14, 2019, photo Wally, a 4-year-old emotional support alligator, soaks up the sun while his owner, Joie Henney, rubs his head at the SpiriTrust Lutheran Village in York, Pa. (Ty Lohr/York Daily Record via AP)
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 Henney's words. The cold-blooded reptile likes to rest his snout on Henney's, 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 he's never been afraid of him.
Henney's background also indicates a comfort with creatures like Wally. He hosted a show called "Joie Henney's 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 centres and minor-league baseball games.
"He's just like a dog," Henney told a woman at a recent outing to a senior centre. "He wants to be loved and petted."
Man says emotional support alligator helps his depression
In this Jan. 14, 2019, photo Joie Henney, of Strinestown, lifts his emotional support animal, Wally, up on a table to give a presentation at the SpiriTrust Lutheran Village in York, Pa. (Ty Lohr/York Daily Record via AP)
In this Jan. 14, 2019, photo Wally, a 4-year-old emotional support alligator, soaks up the sun while his owner, Joie Henney, rubs his head at the SpiriTrust Lutheran Village in York, Pa. (Ty Lohr/York Daily Record via AP)
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 Henney's words. The cold-blooded reptile likes to rest his snout on Henney's, 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 he's never been afraid of him.
Henney's background also indicates a comfort with creatures like Wally. He hosted a show called "Joie Henney's 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 centres and minor-league baseball games.
"He's just like a dog," Henney told a woman at a recent outing to a senior centre. "He wants to be loved and petted."
Man says emotional support alligator helps his depression
