Wally, the alligator who provides emotional support, goes missing in Georgia, owner says: NPR
Joye Henney said her emotional supporter, the alligator Wally, went missing in Georgia after he was kidnapped, found and released into a swamp with about 20 other alligators.
Heather Khalifa/Philadelphia Inquirer, via AP
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Heather Khalifa/Philadelphia Inquirer, via AP
Joye Henney said her emotional supporter, the alligator Wally, went missing in Georgia after he was kidnapped, found and released in a swamp with about 20 other alligators.
Heather Khalifa/Philadelphia Inquirer, via AP
In normal times, social media accounts dedicated to Wally Gator chronicle the nearly 6-foot-long alligator's moral support adventures across Pennsylvania. nursing home, scatter At the Love Park fountain in Philadelphia. Meeting with the mayor And wearing a red harness, smiling with satisfaction like various fans hug him and hug him.
But in recent days, calls for help have been pouring in. Wally went missing in Georgia, and his owner, Joey Henney, said he was kidnapped, recovered and released into a swamp.
Henny and Wally were visiting friends in Brunswick when someone took the alligator from their pen in the early morning hours of April 21, Wally Gator's Facebook page said. Posted on Saturday.
“Wally was stolen by some bastard who likes to drop alligators in people's yards to scare them.” Posted account the next day. “They called us when they found us. [Department of Natural Resources], the DNR then called a trapper. A trapper came and caught Wally, dropping him into a swamp with about 20 other alligators that same day. ”
A Georgia Department of Resources spokesperson told NPR on Friday that a licensed trapper responded to a “nuisance alligator call” in Brunswick on April 21 and later released it in a “remote area.”
They described the way the trapper handled the alligator as “appropriate and routine.” However, it was not possible to confirm whether the animal in question was Wally or where he is now.
The Wally Gator Facebook page does not reveal the location of the swamp, but please contact Henny to help with the search and to “pray as we need a miracle,” especially considering there are other alligators. he called out.
“The swamp is so large that trappers said there was little chance of finding Wally.” “But this is Wally…Joey and his friends are currently heading into the swamp to search and will continue to do so every day.”
As of Friday, nearly 400 people had donated more than $10,000 to an online fundraiser to help with “travel, advisory costs, and in some cases legal and veterinary fees” related to Wally's disappearance.
Henney has not responded to NPR's request for comment.but in post On his personal Facebook page, he thanked supporters for their concerns and said there was a no-questions-asked reward for Wally's safe return.
“Wally means so much to me and so many others, he makes us happy and brings joy to our hearts,” she wrote alongside a photo of the two of them cuddling.
Wally has over 145,000 followers tick tock35,000 Instagram and 10,000 Facebook. His fame doesn't end there. He was also the visual reference for Loki in his Disney+ show Alligator. loki.
After Wally made headlines last September when he was denied a Phillies game. Henney told NPR Wally, who was 8 years old at the time, was born at about 18 months.
Henny has been rescuing and rehabilitating animals for a long time, but he didn't start owning this animal.
“But Wally became special and attached to me so much that I kept him,” Henney said.
Wally loves chin rubs and hugs, and won't bite if people approach him. This, Henney said, is something she's never seen before in her 30 years of working with alligators.
Wally is a source of comfort to strangers and friends alike, even if social media is any indication. And he was by Henney's side through a series of difficult moments, including the loss of several family members and his own treatment for prostate cancer.
“He means a lot to me,” Henney said. “In fact, he's as important to me as my children.”
Henney said Wally was the first reptile to be legally recognized as an emotional support animal, a process she underwent several years ago at the recommendation of her doctor.
Reptiles are allowed as pets Pennsylvania law, they cannot be released into the wild. However, in Georgia, “only licensed or permitted individuals may keep alligators,” according to the DNR.
on friday, post According to Wally Gator's Facebook account, the DNR told Henney that if Wally was caught, charges would be filed. A DNR spokesperson declined to comment beyond the statement.
Meanwhile, in Wally fan facebook groupconcerned admirers discussed the logistical and legal aspects of his situation and tried to find him, from flooding the governor's office with calls to distributing fliers in the area and calling television stations. We are proposing a strategy to bounty hunter dog.
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Joye Henney said her emotional supporter, the alligator Wally, went missing in Georgia after he was kidnapped, found and released into a swamp with about 20 other alligators.
Heather Khalifa/Philadelphia Inquirer, via AP
hide caption
toggle caption
Heather Khalifa/Philadelphia Inquirer, via AP
Joye Henney said her emotional supporter, the alligator Wally, went missing in Georgia after he was kidnapped, found and released in a swamp with about 20 other alligators.
Heather Khalifa/Philadelphia Inquirer, via AP
In normal times, social media accounts dedicated to Wally Gator chronicle the nearly 6-foot-long alligator's moral support adventures across Pennsylvania. nursing home, scatter At the Love Park fountain in Philadelphia. Meeting with the mayor And wearing a red harness, smiling with satisfaction like various fans hug him and hug him. But in recent days, calls for help have been pouring in. Wally went missing in Georgia, and his owner, Joey Henney, said he was kidnapped, recovered and released into a swamp. Henny and Wally were visiting friends in Brunswick when someone took the alligator from their pen in the early morning hours of April 21, Wally Gator's Facebook page said. Posted on Saturday.
“Wally was stolen by some bastard who likes to drop alligators in people's yards to scare them.” Posted account the next day. “They called us when they found us. [Department of Natural Resources], the DNR then called a trapper. A trapper came and caught Wally, dropping him into a swamp with about 20 other alligators that same day. ” A Georgia Department of Resources spokesperson told NPR on Friday that a licensed trapper responded to a “nuisance alligator call” in Brunswick on April 21 and later released it in a “remote area.” They described the way the trapper handled the alligator as “appropriate and routine.” However, it was not possible to confirm whether the animal in question was Wally or where he is now. The Wally Gator Facebook page does not reveal the location of the swamp, but please contact Henny to help with the search and to “pray as we need a miracle,” especially considering there are other alligators. he called out. “The swamp is so large that trappers said there was little chance of finding Wally.” “But this is Wally…Joey and his friends are currently heading into the swamp to search and will continue to do so every day.”
As of Friday, nearly 400 people had donated more than $10,000 to an online fundraiser to help with “travel, advisory costs, and in some cases legal and veterinary fees” related to Wally's disappearance. Henney has not responded to NPR's request for comment.but in post On his personal Facebook page, he thanked supporters for their concerns and said there was a no-questions-asked reward for Wally's safe return.
“Wally means so much to me and so many others, he makes us happy and brings joy to our hearts,” she wrote alongside a photo of the two of them cuddling. Wally has over 145,000 followers tick tock35,000 Instagram and 10,000 Facebook. His fame doesn't end there. He was also the visual reference for Loki in his Disney+ show Alligator. loki. After Wally made headlines last September when he was denied a Phillies game. Henney told NPR Wally, who was 8 years old at the time, was born at about 18 months. Henny has been rescuing and rehabilitating animals for a long time, but he didn't start owning this animal. “But Wally became special and attached to me so much that I kept him,” Henney said. Wally loves chin rubs and hugs, and won't bite if people approach him. This, Henney said, is something she's never seen before in her 30 years of working with alligators. Wally is a source of comfort to strangers and friends alike, even if social media is any indication. And he was by Henney's side through a series of difficult moments, including the loss of several family members and his own treatment for prostate cancer.
“He means a lot to me,” Henney said. “In fact, he's as important to me as my children.” Henney said Wally was the first reptile to be legally recognized as an emotional support animal, a process she underwent several years ago at the recommendation of her doctor. Reptiles are allowed as pets Pennsylvania law, they cannot be released into the wild. However, in Georgia, “only licensed or permitted individuals may keep alligators,” according to the DNR.
on friday, post According to Wally Gator's Facebook account, the DNR told Henney that if Wally was caught, charges would be filed. A DNR spokesperson declined to comment beyond the statement. Meanwhile, in Wally fan facebook groupconcerned admirers discussed the logistical and legal aspects of his situation and tried to find him, from flooding the governor's office with calls to distributing fliers in the area and calling television stations. We are proposing a strategy to bounty hunter dog.
https://www.npr.org/2024/05/03/1248880788/wally-alligator-missing-georgia Wally, the alligator who provides emotional support, goes missing in Georgia, owner says: NPR
