Featured Image Credit: @wallythealligator/TikTok
Topics: US News, Animals, Mental Health, Cancer, TikTok, Social Media, Viral
Dominic Smithers
Topics: US News, Animals, Mental Health, Cancer, TikTok, Social Media, Viral
We've all heard of emotional support dogs, right? Well, how about alligators? See one in action:
Locals in Philadelphia were shocked, to say the least, when they spotted Wally rocking through the streets recently.
The alligator was out for a stroll in Love Park with owner, Joie Henney, and decided to cool off in the fountains.
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Footage shared on his own TikTok shows the little guy soaking up the sun and splashing about in the water as excited onlookers watch on.
In the clip, large crowds of people can seen gathering to take photos of Wally while a young girl holds his leash and walks him around.
Sharing the video, Joie said: "Wally loved spending the day in Love Park, Philadelphia!!"
Since it was posted a couple of days ago, the video has been watched over 122,000 times, with hundreds piling into the comments to ask him to visit their state.
One excited user said: "Awww I wish I knew you were in my city! I'm dying to hug Wally."
Another wrote: "Come to Ohio, Wally, big fan base ready to meet ya buddy."
"I would totally die from happiness if I saw Wally!" said a third.
While another added: "Wish I had time to go meet you while you were in Philly."
Speaking to CNN about their visit to the park, Henney said the kids absolutely loved it and were excited to see Wally.
"They just had a blast," he said. "People came as soon as they heard Wally was there to get a hug and get a photo with him."
An experienced animal handler, Henney was introduced to Wally six years ago after he was contacted by a friend in Florida.
Just a baby at the time, Wally had been removed from a lagoon and then taken to meet his new owner in Pennsylvania.
Henney cleared out a cupboard in the kitchen so that he had his own space, and since then, the pair have been inseparable.
Wally eventually became a licensed emotional support animal, providing Henney with comfort as he underwent cancer treatment.
"Wally has been quite different than any alligator I've ever dealt with in the past 30 years," he said.
"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."
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