A Pennsylvania man says his emotional support alligator helps him deal with his depression.

Joie Henney, 65, said his registered emotional support animal named Wally likes to snuggle and give hugs, despite being a 5-foot-long alligator. The York Haven man said he received approval from his doctor to use Wally as his emotional support animal after not wanting to go on medication for depression, he told Philly.com.

B次元官网网址淚 had Wally, and when I came home and was around him, it was all OK,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淢y doctor knew about Wally and figured it works, so why not?B次元官网网址�

Wally was rescued from outside Orlando at 14 months old and is still growing; Henney said Wally could be 16 feet long one day. Henney says Wally eats chicken wings and shares an indoor plastic pond with a smaller rescue alligator named Scrappy.

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Wally, who turns 4 this year, is a big teddy bear, in HenneyB次元官网网址檚 words. The cold-blooded reptile likes to rest his snout on HenneyB次元官网网址檚, and B次元官网网址渉e likes to give hugs,B次元官网网址� he said.

The alligator has never bitten anyone and is even afraid of cats, according to Henney.

Henney acknowledged that Wally is still a dangerous wild animal and could probably tear his arm off, but says heB次元官网网址檚 never been afraid of him.

HenneyB次元官网网址檚 background also indicates a comfort with creatures like Wally. He hosted a show called B次元官网网址淛oie HenneyB次元官网网址檚 OutdoorsB次元官网网址� on ESPN Outdoors from 1989 to 2000, according to the York Daily Record.

Henney frequently takes Wally out for meet-and-greets at places like senior centres and minor-league baseball games.

B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 just like a dog,B次元官网网址� Henney told a woman at a recent outing to a senior centre. B次元官网网址淗e wants to be loved and petted.B次元官网网址�

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Information from: Philly.com, http://www.philly.com/

The Associated Press

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