LAND O'LAKES, Fla. – Alligators are part of life in Central Florida, and small dogs are easy prey.
But one owner decided to fight back to protect her pooch, 4-month-old Dax.
The sweet pup probably has no idea his owner, Danie Wright, saved his life last week, taking on an alligator in the process.
“Anyone would do it,” Wright said. “We’ve never seen an alligator back here.”
She and Dax were on a walk along a stagnant creek behind her house in Land O’Lakes.
“I heard a squeal, and I got pulled, so he’s -- the alligator had him by his air tag and drags him,” Wright recounted.
She said the alligator bit Dax’s collar and dragged him into the water.
Then Wright fought back.
“I just punched and punched and punched, and I punched him in the eye enough that he kind of let go, like he unclamped a little, and I pulled out, but his teeth were like here and just drug down my arm,” Wright said.
Floating water moss, which has the look of algae, provided a great cover for that 5-foot gator.
Soon, trappers and officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission came to catch the gator.
“I can’t even believe this happened to my life today,” Wright said of the encounter. “I freaking fought an alligator and won.”
Wright recorded the alligator once she was safely inside her porch.
“Be careful with your dogs. These alligators are no joke,” Wright warned, urging dog owners to avoid taking pets near water that might be home to the critters. “I learned to be more alert, constantly walk around. I’m looking at my phone all the time. Leave your phone at home, you know, pay attention.”
Because you never know what might be lurking.
Alligator attacks on dogs aren’t tracked, but wildlife officials say it’s common for them to target dogs.