‘I fought an alligator and won’: Florida woman punches, fends off gator that dragged puppy into creek – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports
LAND O’ LAKES, Fla. (WSVN) — Alligators are part of life in Florida, and as the owner of a puppy found out, small dogs can be easy prey. So she took matters into her own hands and confronted the predator.
Four-month-old Dax probably has no idea his owner, Danie Wright, saved his life earlier this month.
But anyone would do it,” said Wright. “Well, we’ve never seen an alligator back here.”
Wright said she had taken Dax behind her house in Land O’ Lakes to walk along a stagnant creek when the gator lunged at her pup and bit his collar.
“I heard a squeal, and I got pulled. So he’s – the alligator had him by his AirTag and drags him,” she said.
As the large reptile dragged Dax into the water, Wright chose to fight back.
“And 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,” she said, “and I pulled out, but his teeth were like here and just dragged down my arm.”
What may look like algae or maybe even AstroTurf on the water’s surface is actually floating water moss, and it provided an effective cover for the 5-foot gator.
It did not take long for trappers and agents with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to get there and catch the gator.
“Be careful with your dogs, you know, these alligators are no joke. I mean, 15 feet he came out to get him, and I didn’t see him,” she said.
Wright recorded the gator’s capture safely from inside her porch.
“I can’t even believe this happened to my life today,” she is heard saying in the video. “I freaking fought an alligator and won.”
She has a reminder for dog owners to avoid taking their pets anywhere close to water.
“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,” she said.
Because you never know what might be lurking, but in Florida, if it’s wet, it’s a safe bet a gator is close by.
Alligator attacks on dogs aren’t tracked, but wildlife officials say they are a common target.
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