Florida Man Wrestles 12-Foot Gator To Save Dog

When will people learn? If you are in Florida, parts of South Carolina, and Georgia, you should probably assume that every fresh body of water is teeming with dinosaurs. More specifically, hungry alligators with a taste for toddlers, dogs, cats, and old ladies.

Still, we see videos constantly and hear stories about people and pets getting “attacked” by gators. Humans are supposed to be the ones with higher brain function, but apparently, some of us aren’t gifted as such.

Recently, another example happened in Florida. This time, instead of Fido ending up in the gator’s belly, the dog-father jumped into action and did his best Steve Irwin impression. Minus the dying, of course. Check this out.

An alligator snatched a couple’s dog in a Florida park last week — but the man managed to free the pet after jumping on the reptile’s back.

The duo had taken the pooch for a walk Friday at Riverside Park in Oviedo, Florida, when a 12-foot alligator jumped out of the water and grabbed the dog in its mouth, according to city officials.

The man then jumped on the gator’s back and freed the dog.

Florida man jumps on 12-foot gator's back to free his dog from the reptile https://t.co/yoIFPXkpGm via @nypost

— Rob Mattox (@RobMattox2) May 18, 2023

Not to sound harsh or like less of a man, but at that point, it is probably time for a new dog. The giant, 12-foot monster could have easily turned the pup into an appetizer, Applebee’s style, and had the owner as the main course. All he would have to have done was get the man and dog in the water, and it would have been curtains for both.

Instead, somehow having a human on its back convinced the reptile that puppers wasn’t worth it, so it dropped the dog, and presumably, the owner dismounted as well.

“A boyfriend and girlfriend were walking their dog at Riverside Park in the back along the Little Econ River when an alligator came out and snatched it,” city communication manager Lisa McDonald told Fox News in an email. 

“According to staff, (not witnessed), the boyfriend jumped on top of the alligator to rescue the dog. They were able to free the animal,” she said.

The couple reportedly did not call 911 or any other authorities, including “Wild Kingdom,” and the dog was taken to the vet for treatment.

After learning about the “attack” later that day, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission trapped and euthanized the massive gator. The alligator measured 12 feet and 6 inches.

While it seems a bit unfair to kill a gator for just being a gator, apparently, that area is overrun with large alligators, so one less isn’t going to make much of a difference.

City communication manager Lisa McDonald said:

“Dog owners are highly discouraged from walking their pets near any body of water due to the dense alligator population, especially during alligator mating season.”

Probably sound advice, but I would offer a step further; just assume every body of water is lousy with the reptile. Stay away. Leave your frisbee-golf disc, forget about fishing, and don’t let your dogs or kids anywhere near. However, since it is Florida, and people act before they think, there certainly will be more ‘attacks” reported in the coming Summer months.

Notice: This article may contain commentary that reflects the author's opinion.

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