Man says emotional support alligator helps his depression

[Virginiá]

https://abcnews.go.com/beta-story-container/Weird/wireStory/man-emotional-support-alligator-helps-depression-60646161

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[Anna Komnene]

It's a snugglegator!

[Nutmeg]

As a landlord who already has to deal with an emotional support dog and an emotional support hedgehog and an emotional support boa constrictor (which escaped and somehow got into another unit), this would be the final straw for me where I send the tenants packing and put the place on the market.

[DINGO Joe]

I sense a sequel to "Snakes on a Plane"

[Catholics vs. Convicts]

Well, I'm glad this man has something in his life that makes him happier. I sincerely hope nothing turns tragic happens, and I hope that this man doesn't try to take his gator in places where people at the very least would be uncomfortable with it.

Also, just how does one decide, "no I don't want a support dog. I need me a support gator."

[Sirius_]

You do you man. As long as it isn't attacking people.

[HillGoose]

that's badass

[Ye We Can]

I have an emotional support snake so I understand

[courts]

I have an emotional support snake so I understand

i had a snake awhile back, she was great. very fond of reptiles

[Skunk]

Surprised he's not from Florida.

[Sirius_]

Surprised he's not from Florida.

See if he was from Florida it would have killed him by now.

[Fight for Trump]

He needs God, not an alligator.

[dead0man]

This seems very short sighted by him.  Alligators live a long ass time, certainly longer than this old crazy guy will live.  And that's not mentioning the fact that it's a freaking prehistoric monster.

The next time we hear about this man and his accident waiting to happen will be when the gator has to be put down by the local cops because he put a toddler and the kid's father in the hospital.

[Esteemed Jimmy]

Surprised he's not from Florida.

[DINGO Joe]

He needs God, not an alligator.

God wants him to have that alligator.

[100% pro-life no matter what]

I believe that emotional support animals are just things people make up to get landlords to let them have them in apartment complexes without a fee.  This is stupid but would still be stupid if it was a dog or cat.  I'm obviously not talking about genuine service animals like a seeing eye dog.

[Progressive Pessimist]

"Emotional support animals" get a bad wrap, but I have always been able to identify with the concept. I haven't been the same since my pig died. I have always suffered with depression and she did in fact put that at ease a bit when I got her and bonded with her especially after the year I had. She helped me at the end of a year where my parents separated, my aunt died, my pet duck died, my pet dog died, and my best friend committed suicide all in the same year(Trump got elected that year too, by the way)! Then she died in May 2017 at barely 10 months old, and I have been at my worst point since. I would love to get another pig, but I don’t want to get attached to it and deal with the grief of it dying again. I know that a pet dying is an inevitability but I’m cursed when it comes to pets dying early or in horrible ways, if that isn’t already evident. Only my dog had managed to die naturally at an age close to its life expectancy...and I’ve owned a lot of pets over the years. So for the sake of every animal in the world, it shouldn’t be adopted or owned by me.

Sorry, I went into self-pitying mode a bit there.

More on topic, I'll admit that at the same time, that's the basic purpose of pets-to give you joy, whatever kind of animal they are. So every pet should give emotional support, otherwise why bother? So I guess the term is a bit silly. And I do agree that it's ridiculous if they get in the way of others like at restaurants, on airplanes, etc. Only people who need their animals for disability reasons should be able to bring them anywhere, I agree with that.

I loved my piggy, but she would definitely annoy others if I brought her to a different place mostly due to her curious and rambunctious nature. I never took her to any establishments beyond a few local outdoor cafes.

Happy year of the pig by the way! *Eye twitches*