Emotional Support Alligator Goes Viral After a Visit to Philadelphia's LOVE Park

Those enjoying a day out in Philadelphia on Friday got a surprise when an emotional support alligator named Wally was spotted by multiple people and news outlets at Philadelphia's LOVE Park.

The gator was seen making friends and enjoying water features at the park, as documented in several photos and videos that helped WallyGator make national headlines.

"We were just walking by LOVE Park and saw this kid playing with an alligator in the fountain," Britt Miller told the Philly Voice news site. She documented Wally's visit on Twitter.

"Of course, there were a ton of people around taking pictures. The girl [who had the alligator] seemed to be with her family, who were sitting off to the side. They were super friendly. People were picking up the alligator, petting it, all sorts of stuff."

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A video on Wally's official TikTok shows him getting media attention while sitting on the lap of an older man, likely his owner Joie Henney. Posted for all the alligator's more than 69,000 followers, the caption said "Wally enjoyed the day in Philadelphia!"

RELATED: Wally the Alligator Is an Unlikely Emotional Support Animal Who Helps Kids with Disabilities

Getty File image of an alligator

Henney lives nearby in the York, Pennsylvania area, and told USA Today He brought Wally to LOVE Park for a meet and greet with the public. Henney, who is battling cancer, has set up a GoFundMe page to help cover costs for Wally, and other reptiles Henny cares for at Forgotten Friend Reptile Sanctuary.

He has also entered Wally into America's Favorite Pet Animal Kingdom, where individuals can vote on their favorite animal. The winning creature gets $10,000, and Wally is currently in first place in his category. His profile features a pic of the gator wearing sunglasses and says he "loves to give hugs!!!"

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Henny rescued Wally from Florida in September 2016 when the animal was only 14 months old, according to the York Daily Record. He told the outlet he fed Wally with tongs at first, but he felt comfortable picking up the animal almost right away.

Within a month, the gator was gentle and happy to follow his new owner around the house. "He wants to be loved and petted," Henney said at the time.

Henney's comfort with Wally came from his background as a bull rider. Henney has also kept venomous snakes as pets in the past, the local paper reported.

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A few months after getting Wally, Henney began taking him to schools and senior homes for educational purposes, but he quickly noticed children with developmental issues especially enjoyed Wally's presence.

He was certified as an Emotional Support Animal in 2018.

Even before Wally became an official ESA, though, Henney told PEOPLE in 2019 that he took the reptile with him "mostly everywhere … like parks and stores."