Wally, the Emotional Support Alligator, is Missing in Georgia; Help Bring Him Back
A famous “emotional support” alligator has disappeared while on a trip with its owner after apparently being targeted by pranksters.
Heartbroken Joie Henney suspects that his 1.7m-long pet named Wally was taken as a joke from an outdoor enclosure near his vacation home in Brunswick, Georgia.
It seems that the alligator was then abandoned outside a nearby property, before authorities found it and released the reptile “back” into the wild of a 438,000-acre swamp many miles away.
Mr Henney shared that Wally had been helping him cope with depression for almost ten years, and their bond has attracted tens of thousands of followers on social media.
“We are asking for all the assistance we can get to bring my baby back,” Mr Henney said in an emotional video posted on TikTok, where Wally has 143,000 followers.
“Please, we desperately need your help,” he pleaded.
Living in Pennsylvania, Mr Henney had taken Wally with him on a trip to Brunswick last month.
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources confirmed receiving a report about a nuisance alligator in the area on 21 April, and a licensed trapper was sent to capture it.
The agency stated that the reptile was “released in a remote location”, but they could not confirm if it was indeed Wally.
Wally, pictured last year, was on holiday when he went missing. Pic: wallygatornjoie/Instagram
“The trapper came and got Wally and dropped him off in a swamp with about 20 other alligators that same day,” Mr Henney shared in a social media post earlier this week.
“The swamp is very large, and the trapper mentioned that the chances of finding Wally are minimal to none.”
Mr Henney advised his followers against risking their safety to search for his beloved reptile and emphasized that he only seeks information.
A fundraising page was set up to cover travel expenses, vet bills, and “potential legal costs”, raising over $8,000 (£6,400) so far.
“All we want, and truly all anyone wants, is for the trapper who was doing his job to provide us with a location,” he added.
“We are willing to offer a reward for Wally’s safe return to the trapper or any other licensed trapper.”
One of Wally’s fans gives him a hug. Pic: wallygatornjoie/Instagram
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In Georgia, it is illegal for individuals to keep alligators without a special license or permit, and the state’s Department of Natural Resources explicitly does not authorize pet alligators.
Although Pennsylvania has no specific law against owning alligators, it is illegal for owners to release them into the wild.
Identified as a reptile rescuer, Mr Henney mentioned that he first encountered Wally after a friend captured him in Florida and left him as a prank in September 2015.
“But the joke is on him now,” he remarked in an interview with Sky News last year.
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From September 2023: ‘Emotional support’ alligator denied entry to baseball stadium
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Wally’s fame skyrocketed last year when he was refused entry to a baseball game in Philadelphia.
Mr Henney assured that Wally does not bite and his food must be lifeless before he accepts it.
