‘Emotional support alligator’ expelled from baseball game

Wally was turned away from the stadium, despite having been invited to the game.

SEPTEMBER 29, 2023 03:25

Updated: SEPTEMBER 29, 2023 07:43

Cuban crocodiles (Crocodylus rhombifer) recovered from a poacher, and given by the police to the director of the crocodile hatchery, rest inside a plastic bag before being released into nature at Zapata Swamp, Cienaga de Zapata, Cuba, August 24, 2022. Illegal hunting and hybridization with American (photo credit: REUTERS/ALEXANDRE MENEGHINI) — Cuban crocodiles (Crocodylus rhombifer) recovered from a poacher, and given by the police to the director of the crocodile hatchery, rest inside a plastic bag before being released into nature at Zapata Swamp, Cienaga de Zapata, Cuba, August 24, 2022. Illegal hunting and hybridization with American

(photo credit: REUTERS/ALEXANDRE MENEGHINI)

An “emotional support alligator” was turned away from a baseball match in Philadelphia despite having been invited by the players, according to local media reports from September 29.

The alligator in question, named Wally, belonged to 70-year-old Joie Henney.

Despite being turned away, Henney said that he and his alligator had no hard feelings towards the stadium.

Are you kidding me. A #Phillies fan tried to come into game tonight with what they said was a “service animal.” An Alligator! Yes an Alligator. Thing’s I’ve never seen. This is it. ⁦@SportsRadioWIP⁩ pic.twitter.com/H7A0FM0IYC
— Howard Eskin (@howardeskin) September 27, 2023

Henney told The Independent that he and Wally had enjoyed attending a number of baseball games together.

Wally was reportedly invited to the baseball game after some of the players stumbled on his Instagram account, which has amassed over 25,000 followers.

GATORS POPULATE Florida’s Everglades Alligator Farm (credit: REUTERS)

What does Wally's owner have to say about the incident?

“Everybody thinks I just tried to take Wally to the baseball game. Well, that was only part of the truth,” he told The Independent.

“He was invited there by one of his fans, who is friends with the baseball team and their wives and we were supposed to meet before they started the game."

“And a couple of the baseball players wanted to meet Wally and that's why we were there."

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A post shared by Wally Gator (@wallygatornjoie)

“Well, we got there after three o’clock so of course they couldn’t come out and we couldn’t go in. There was no upset, there was no arguing – nothing was done wrong."

“Somebody said they only allow service animals. That’s okay. He is not a service animal, he is an emotional support animal and there’s a difference."

“He’s been to ball games before. We didn’t go there with the intention of going to the ballgame. But that’s what we ended up wanting to do. But when they said no, we didn’t do it.”