A man was barred from bringing his emotional support alligator to Walmart after a customer made a complaint. According to NBC News, 60-year-old Wesley Silva from Pennsylvania has often been able to make shopping trips with his alligator Jinseioshi, until a recent visit.
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Walmart Denies Man Bringing Emotional Support Alligator Into Store
It seems one customer didn’t love seeing this 32-pound, five-foot-long reptile in a shopping cart wearing a dress. Despite this, most witnesses have treated Silva with respect.
“We have been going to that Walmart for about 3½ years, and normally the reaction is ‘That’s pretty cool’ or ‘That is awesome that you have a pet alligator, man!'” said Silva.
In response to this decision, a Walmart spokesperson explained the company’s reasoning. “The safety of our customers and associates is our highest priority,
they said. “We welcome service animals in our stores, but it is unacceptable to expose members of the public to potential danger.”
According to WPXI, Silva got Jinseioshi as a gift from a neighbor. They couldn’t care for the alligator anymore, so they asked Silva if he would want her.
“I did some research, I have kids of my own, and I didn’t want to put anyone in jeopardy,” said Silva. “After some research, I was like, you know what? I’ll take her.”
The Bond Between Man And Alligator
The duo is now practically inseparable. “We’ve gone to restaurants, we’ve been to Denny’s, where she’s a star there,” he explained. “She gets VIP treatment. We’ve been out to Bob Evans, we’ve been out to the Wagon Wheel in West Brownsville.”
Silva was no stranger to taking care of animals. He already had many creatures at home, such as six snakes, a leopard gecko, a Komodo dragon, an ocellated skink, and even a second alligator. On top of that, he owns a dog.
Silva was “really taken aback” after hearing about shoppers who recently made a complaint. Although she is a registered emotional support animal, Walmart has put its foot down.
The reptile owner and father of five children is also a pastor for a Baptist and a Brethren church. “In the Bible, God talks about us having dominion over animals, and I developed an affinity for the reptiles,” he said. “I find them very soothing.”
Despite how unfortunate it’ll be for Silva, he has taken the news pretty well. “I’ll just go with the flow,” he said.