Pennsylvania Man Copes With Depression With the Help of Emotional Support Alligator
More and more people are battling issues like anxiety, depression, or panic attacks with help from companion pets...or emotional support animals. You may see these animals with their owners in restaurants, shopping malls, college dorms, or even on your next flight across the country.
There's a lot of evidence that says these animals help soothe certain mental health conditions. Okay, so how about an alligator? Is that soothing for ya?
Yes, a 65 year-old man from York Haven, Pennsylvania claims that his own five-foot emotional support alligator helps cure bouts with depression. WHAM reports that the pet is actually registered and even received approval from the man's doctor.
Joe Henney told Philly.com that the gator was rescued outside Orlando, Florida. Henney claims his pet named Wally likes to snuggle, give hugs and is basically like a "big teddy bear". Oh yeah, and Wally's only four years old and still growing. Henney says he could grow to be sixteen feet. He also apparently loves chicken wings.
Philly.com says that Henney is a former Marine, who also rode bulls in rodeos, and has a martial arts background. He also recently lost three very close friends, and feared he would never be able to recover. That's where his pal Wally comes in.
Wally lives in a 300 gallon plastic indoor pond with Scrappy - who is, you guessed it, another alligator.