LAND O' LAKES, Fla. — A Land O' Lakes woman fought off an alligator to save her 4-month-old puppy.
Danie Wright said she took her dog, Dax, for a walk near a creek in the backyard of her Pasco County home.
WATCH: Land O' Lakes woman fights off alligator to save 4-month-old puppy
She said she did not notice the alligator until it yanked her dog as she held its leash.
"All of a sudden, I just heard this horrible squeal, and I got tugged. I never saw the alligator coming out. He was covered in algae," she said.
She said the three of them ended up in the creek. She said the gator bit an AirTag on her dog's collar.
"The air tag saved his life," Wright said.
She said she grabbed her dog and threw it onto the bank as she wrestled with the gator.
"I just literally started swinging with my elbow and kicking. I was somehow able to flip him over with my right arm onto his back because, like I said, he was only five feet and not huge by any means," she said.
"I don't even remember running out of the water," she added.
She was able to call 911. She suffered injuries to her arm and leg, but did not need to go to a hospital. Her dog was not injured.
"Physically, I'm like 90% back. It doesn't hurt like it did hurt. Emotionally, I'm still very cautious walking now," said Wright.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said a contracted nuisance alligator trapper removed the 5.5-foot alligator.
"The only thing I lost in this battle was my Adidas slide and the alligator had it in his mouth still so when the cops got here, they were able to really watch him because he was chewing on the Adidas slide and then the rappers got out here and he was real aggressive for such a small alligator, but I mean, that's dinner," she said.
Wright urges pet owners to pay attention while out walking their pets.
"I'm famous for always having my phone, watching reality TV on my phone, walking my dog, put your phone down," she said. "That's how fast they can get them. I never saw it coming, so it's a hard lesson to learn, but a good lesson to learn because we're fine and we'll get through this."
The FWC stated that injuries caused by alligators are rare in Florida; however, the FWC operates a Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP). SNAP uses contracted nuisance alligator trappers throughout the state to remove alligators believed to pose a threat to people, pets, or property.
The FWC works to keep Floridians and visitors informed and recommends the following precautionary measures near alligators, including in or near the water, to reduce the chances of conflicts with alligators:
- Keep a safe distance if you see an alligator. If someone is concerned about an alligator, they should call FWC’s toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286), and we will dispatch a contracted nuisance alligator trapper to resolve the situation.
- Keep pets on a leash and away from the water’s edge. Pets often resemble alligators’ natural prey.
- Swim only in designated swimming areas during daylight hours, and refrain from bringing your pet. Alligators are most active between dusk and dawn.
- Never feed an alligator. It’s illegal and dangerous. When fed, alligators can lose their natural wariness and instead learn to associate people with the availability of food. This can lead to an alligator becoming a nuisance and necessitating its removal from the wild.
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