A Florida woman wrestled an alligator to free her 4-month-old puppy after the animal dragged the dog into a Pasco County creek earlier this month, according to FOX 13 Tampa Bay.
Danie Wright said the dog, named Dax, was on a leash when they were attacked behind her home, a property the family has occupied for roughly 20 years. The creek surface was covered with algae and debris, providing cover for the lurking alligator. Wright believes the gator grabbed onto the dog's AirTag collar. "It looked like he had him by the throat," she told the TV station. "Literally a half a centimeter, I think, it would have just punctured in his throat and most likely killed him." The alligator was about five feet long, Wright said.
Wright used her free arm to rip the five-pound puppy out of the alligator's jaws and throw him onto the steep bank. "But my left arm was in the alligator at this point," she said, realizing she had to fight for her life. She described flipping the gator over, delivering a few punches and an elbow strike, and finally loosening the grip enough to pull Dax free.
Wright called 911 for help, which included a trapper that captured the gator. "Put your phones down," she said. "I was on my phone, standing here, facing the other way of him with a creek behind me."
Authorities later confirmed the gator was captured and the dog and owner are recovering. Wright's family has lived at the site for about two decades and had never seen an alligator there before the incident. Dax is a small, four-month-old puppy who was on a leash during the attack.
The incident underscores that wildlife can be present near residential properties in Florida, even in areas not known for visible alligators, and serves as a reminder for pet owners to stay vigilant near water.