An internet-famous pet alligator named Wally went missing in Georgia while his owner, Joie Henney of Jonestown, Pennsylvania, was visiting friends. Henney believes Wally was stolen from a fenced-in yard in a twisted prank. He shared a tearful plea on Wally’s TikTok page, asking for help to bring his beloved pet back home. Henney adopted Wally in 2015 when he was rescued in Florida at 14 months old and credited the alligator for helping him through his battle with depression.
Henney’s doctor even endorsed Wally as an emotional support animal. The gentle 8-year-old alligator has never tried to bite anyone and can sense people’s emotions, according to Henney. Wally’s social media pages are filled with videos and photos of people hugging, cuddling, and kissing him. Henney often brings Wally to meet-and-greets and kids’ birthday parties for photo ops. Now, Henney is distraught without his beloved pet, who vanished on April 21, and believes the people who stole Wally used him to prank unsuspecting homeowners.
The pranksters allegedly left Wally outside a person’s home, leading to a report of a “nuisance alligator” in the Brunswick area on the day Wally disappeared. A licensed trapper came to catch the gator and released it into a remote location, but it is not confirmed if it was Wally or not. Alligators cannot be kept as pets in Georgia, but Pennsylvania, where Wally and Henney reside, have no laws against alligator ownership. Henney described Wally as unique and unlike any other alligator.
Henney is still hoping for Wally’s safe return and continues to ask for the public’s help in finding his missing pet. In a video shared on social media, Henney expressed his distress without Wally by his side. He believes that the theft of Wally was a cruel prank and hopes that the pranksters will come forward or that Wally will be found and returned safely. The situation has garnered attention on social media, with many expressing support and sympathy for Henney’s plight.
As the search for Wally continues, Henney remains determined to reunite with his emotional support animal. Despite the challenges and setbacks, he remains hopeful that Wally will be found and returned safely. The bond between Wally and Henney is evident through their shared experience and the impact Wally has had on Henney’s life. The story of the missing alligator highlights the unique and special relationship that can exist between humans and animals, even those deemed unconventional as emotional support animals.