Charles Langston:Where's Wally? Emotional support alligator who gives hugs and kisses is missing in Georgia

Where's Wally?Charles Langston

The emotional support alligator − once in the running to be crowned America's Favorite Pet − has been missing for just over a week.

Wally, whose nickname is WallyGator, vanished April 21 while he and his owner and handler, Joie Henney, were visiting friends in the city of Brunswick on Georgia's southeast coast, the York Daily Record, part of the USA TODAY Network reported.

Wally, 8, is an emotional support animal that has comforted people at nursing homes and baseball games.

Henney adopted the four-foot long gator when it was just over a year old, he said in a 2019 story in the Daily Record.

According to Henney, Wally likes to be held, go on walks and photos show him giving hugs and kisses to people in need.

The rescued gators adventures also include leashed park visits and supervised swimming stints, all chronicled on social media where Wally as tens of thousands of followers.

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Wally disappeared on vacation with his owner in Georgia

According to Henney, Wally was secured in an enclosure while he went fishing on vacation in The Peach State.

Henney alleges someone stole his pet some time between 4:30 a.m. and 7 a.m.

"We need all the help we can get," he said in a video posted on TikTok through tears.

Wally would likely not survive if he was left on his own in the wild, Henney said. 

Henney said he organized a search party for Wally after initially suspecting people who objected to him keeping Wally in captivity had broken the alligator out and returned him to the wild.

State: 'Practical joker' stole Wally to terrorize resident

According to a Facebook post on Wally's page, a Georgia Department of Natural Resources official contacted Henney Sunday and said someone stole Wally with the intent of dropping him off in a resident's yard “to terrorize them."

The resident alerted state officials who dispatched a trapper to catch Wally, the post reads.

"I want to thank everyone for their support and their concern," Henny posted on Facebook with a photo of him holding his pet. "Wally is very important to me as well as to a lot of other people that he makes happy and puts joy in their hearts."

Henney said he just wants Wally returned. No questions asked.

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'Poor Wally and Joie'

From anger to compassion, Wally's situation drew swift online reaction on social media.

"Whoever took him belongs in a swamp with mean alligators!! Poor Wally and Joie," one person wrote in the comment section below Henney's Facebook post.

Another person wrote, "Praying that Wally is returned to you soon! So sorry you are going through this!"

Wally is so popular fans created a fundraising page to help find the missing gator.

As of Monday 166 people had donated more than $4,000 for Wally's cause.

Contributing; Mike Snider, USA TODAY

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.