Florida Man Describes the Horror of Finding Alligator Attacking His Chocolate Lab
What a scary situation for this homeowner and his dog!
A man in Deltona, Florida got a scary surprise when he noticed his chocolate Labrador named Winston sniffing around the yard. The man, who asked to be unidentified, discovered that the reason for Winston's excitement was due to a seven foot alligator who lunged for his dog the second the homeowner noticed the giant gator.
The gator attacked the dog, chomping down on the side of his head, and the homeowner shot the alligator four times in the skull while it still had Winston between its teeth.
No one ever wants to kill an animal unless they have to, but considering the alligator was attacking his poor dog what could he be expected to do? "I don’t even think there was a thought," the homeowner told FOX 35. "I think it was – my heart just dropped, and I was like, ‘Okay, I have to go do something.’ So, I mean, you just spring into action and do what you have to do to save your dog. Twenty seconds later, probably would’ve had a dead dog."
A Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission officer arrived to help the homeowner with the the body of the alligator, and the article states, "The game warden said that most likely because it’s breeding season – leading up to the alligator breeding season – a lot of the alligators are going to be out, and they’re going to be looking for potential mates," the homeowner relayed. "They’re going to be a little more aggressive, so if you live anywhere near water, just make sure that you’re checking your yard, because something like this can happen in a split second."
@NoelleSantaniello wants to warn other pet owners, and comments, "It's gator breeding season, means they will be out more. Be extremely cautious when letting the dogs out in the backyard." Alligator mating season begins in May and usually lasts until June, with females hatching eggs in late June to early July. @ThunderBird can't fault the gator, and adds, "For those of you who are new to Florida, stop being a Karen. They were here long before us. News flash, there are two types of wildlife here. The ones that want to kill you and the ones that want to eat you. You are the ones that need to be aware. As we invade more and more of their habitat to create housing you are exposing yourselves to more and more hazards." @Cherylsusan replies, "I would have protected my dog also."
Thankfully Winston is okay and only suffered minor puncture wounds to his head. Just another reminder to be extra careful letting your pets outside in Florida.
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