His emotional support animal is an alligator. They sleep in the same bed

[LetMyPeopleVote]

I am former/retired BSA leader (my son aged out a very long time ago). There is a state park that is fairly close to my current house where they have raccoons that pick the food cabinets unless you put a pad lock on the food pantry and 12-to-15-foot gators (you are prohibited from bringing dogs to this state park). I had a friend who did a training session at this park during gator mating season. These critters are loud,

My kids saw this story and we all had questions about this person

Link to tweet

Here is the Washington Post article on this relationship

Link to tweet

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2022/08/29/emotional-support-alligator-wally-henney/?utm_campaign=wp_main&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

Joseph Henney’s emotional support animal WallyGator goes with him almost everywhere, from the grocery store to walks in the park. They hug each other and sleep in the same bed. WallyGator is an alligator.

“When he turns his nose toward you, that means he expects a kiss,” said Henney, 69, who goes by Joie (pronounced “Joe”) and lives in Jonestown, Pa., about two hours from Philadelphia. “He’s super sweet-natured.”

The two watch television together on the couch, and when Henney takes him to the farmers market, WallyGator gives hugs to shoppers — as long as they are okay with being that close to a 70-pound reptile with a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth.....

Alligators are legal to own in Pennsylvania, and Henney has helped relocate unwanted alligators, snakes and iguanas to wildlife sanctuaries as a hobby for about 30 years. He keeps his rescue reptiles in his home in separate indoor enclosures that he purchased for this purpose. He then finds sanctuaries or zoos that will take them, he said.

In Texas, we would be wondering about this person.

[brush]

1. That won't end well.

[Demovictory9]

2. Lol 😀

I wouldnt turn my back on that pet

[LetMyPeopleVote]

3. Or kiss this pet

[Demovictory9]

9. Lose a nose

[scarletlib]

12. I agree.

[GoodRaisin]

4. "The two watch television together".

Yeah.

[Buns_of_Fire]

5. I wonder if he'd get along with my emotional support honey badger.

He's so cute. When he eats your face that means he's hungry.

[Ilsa]

20. 🤣 LOL! 😆 I have an emotional-support zombie. You how that ends. nt

[msongs]

6. abusing the system nt

[Hermit-The-Prog]

7. Next report will be the search for Joe after bloody remnants of his clothing were found.

[Rhiannon12866]

8. Yikes! Do they have obedience training for alligators??

I took my dog to puppy class. Given the choice, I prefer my dog. He's soft and cuddly - and has never tried to eat my face.

[Raine]

10. I think I saw this guy and his gator a few years (3-4) back interviewed on TV

so apparently the gator hasn't torn him apart ... yet. 🐊 I know I wouldn't get near it.

[Hekate]

11. In SoCal *I'm* wondering about this person. That "pet" is one mood-swing away from making a meal

…out of its ditzy owner. He thinks it wants kisses?!

[Solomon]

13. Lol. Better feed that fucker every 5 minutes!

I heard a story about a guy who had a relationship like that with a huge snake like a python or boa constrictor. He took the snake to a veterinarian because the snake stopped eating and the guy couldn't figure out why. The vet told him that the snake wasn't eating because he was sizing the guy up as his next meal!

[Chainfire]

14. That is insane.

Alligators are two trick animals; they eat and they mate. The man may "love" the gator, but the gator does not "love'" the man.

[tavernier]

15. That may be...

But they still make kinder pets than republicans.

[WarGamer]

25. lol.. post of the day!!!!!!!!!

[newdayneeded]

16. Pet Hippo

I remember watching a 20/20 type show with a segment about a guy who raised a hippo from a baby. he'd ride on its back, hugs, bath.

About a year later there was a news story about the guy getting killed from his hippo. lol.

Darwin award!

[dalton99a]

17. The gator will eat him as soon as he expires

Hmm yummy dead meat

[Retrograde]

18. I'll stick with my emotional support snakeplant

which I got after my favorite cat died. It sits in its pot on the corner of my desk, quietly photosynthesizing, and on the 1st of every month I take it outside and water it. It's about as reactive as a reptile, and a lot less trouble.

[CTyankee]

19. Now this is cool...

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=how+do+alligators+mate#kpvalbx=_dzgOY-_nCd-p5NoP1Om_oAE_42

[LetMyPeopleVote]

21. It is not cool when you are out camping while these critters are mating

Mating alligators are loud.

Heck, even walking on a good path in thie park while the alligators are mating is unnerving.

[CTyankee]

24. I was thinking of sex in the water...purely scientifically speaking, of course...

[Crunchy Frog]

22. That could literally end up biting you in the butt.

They're not dogs or cats or parrots, and I simply don't believe that they have the neural architecture to form genuine emotional bonds.

Still, hope it works out for him and doesn't end up going bad, though I worry about the example he's setting for other people.

[bluestarone]

23. While sleeping in the same bed, i believe one of them will

Have a GOOD dream, and one will have a very BAD dream!

[roamer65]

26. I'll stick with my cats, thank you.