Wally was removed from a lagoon in Florida, said Henney. His friend brought the baby gator, then just 20 inches long and a little over a year old, to Pennsylvania.
Thus began a unique relationship between man and alligator.
"Wally has been quite different than any alligator I've ever dealt with in the past 30 years," said Henney. "He doesn't show anger. He doesn't show aggression. He hasn't since the day he was caught. We never could understand why.
"He's just loveable. He sleeps with me, steals my pillows, steals my blankets. He's just awesome."
Wally's easygoing personality led Henney to have the gator licensed as an emotional support animal, he said. The alligator has provided comfort for him as he has undergone radiation treatments for cancer.
Most people who see Wally are "really excited and happy to see him," said Henney.
Henney isn't concerned about the possibility of the alligator biting someone, he said. "Wally is the only gator I've ever been around that refuses to bite," he said. "It's mind-boggling -- just hard to believe."
https://nypost.com/2022/08/24/emotional ... orite-pet/
EDIT: Wally glamour shotAn alligator from Pennsylvania is in the running for America’s Favorite Pet.
WallyGator, a 7-year-old reptile, who hails from the City of York and reportedly “loves to give hugs,” is currently in the lead in a new pet popularity contest – America’s Favorite Pet Animal Kingdom – which includes animals of all shapes, sizes and species.
It’s currently unknown how many votes WallyGator has, but the animal has a dedicated TikTok following of more than 68,100 people.
WallyGator’s TikTok bio says he’s a “licensed emotional support animal” and his owners reportedly operate a reptile rescue.
The favorite pet contest includes rounds of online votes to determine which animal will be crowned the winner.
https://harrisburgmagazine.com/lifestyl ... alligator/
