'He's just like a dog': Man denied entry to Phillies game with emotional support alligator

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSLYVANIA: A fan of the Philadelphia Phillies was left disheartened after his emotional support animal was disallowed during a Wednesday night, September 27, game.

The Phillies were competing against the Pittsburgh Pirates at the Citizens Bank Park when the incident happened, USA Today reported.

It has been said that Joseph Henney and his five-foot-long pet alligator, named Wally, were barred from the venue.

Why were Joseph Henney and Wally not allowed into Citizens Bank Park?

The man and his pet could not get inside the park because of a policy, which says, “Certified service dogs or service dogs in training for guests with special needs are welcome. All other animals are prohibited.”

However, the alligator received a lot of attention online as a user tweeted, “I am not a lawyer but I would like to represent this man in a lawsuit against the Phillies.”

Radio personality Howard Eskin shared, “Are you kidding me. A #Phillies fan tried to come into the game tonight with what they said was a ‘service animal.’ An Alligator! Yes, an Alligator. Things I’ve never seen. This is it. ⁦@SportsRadioWIP.”

“Greatest city in the world,” the third user remarked.

“Looks like we need to discuss the differences between emotional support animals that bring an individual comfort simply by existing and service animals that are specifically trained to do tasks on a cue,” the fourth one added.

“What the person should do is put the alligator back into its own habitat instead of holding it hostage for crazy reasons,” a person suggested.

Another one stated, “Good. That doesn't belong at a ballgame. Attention seeker stay home.”

Joseph Henney earlier called Wally ‘just like a dog’

In 2019, Henney reportedly shared, “I had Wally, and when I came home and was around him, it was all OK. My doctor knew about Wally and figured it works, so why not?”

He also added, “He's just like a dog. He wants to be loved and petted.”