Dog versus Alligator
 

I just saw a TV news report of a Villages man who wrestled an alligator that had grabbed his pet dog. I have some mixed thoughts about this, but am happy the puppy is OK. We now have a dead alligator who was only doing what was natural. I am dismayed that the man allowed his "best friend Bounce" to have free run near a body of water, not only at the time of the attack but was again without a leash at the time of the news report. The Villages covenants are clear about this; ALL DOGS must be on a leash when outside the home. This gentleman just doesn't seem to understand the requirements or simply chooses to ignore what is expected of him here in The Villages. It was totally his fault that he nearly lost his "best friend".

There is already a large thread running on this. Called "Man saves dog from gator".

Hmmmmm....agreed!! What's wrong with the folks who are supposed to enforce the leash laws. Bounce was clearly not on a leash.... why no citation??????

Here comes the leash police!

This is a no brainer - the dog was SAVED, this precious companion animal was saved from a horrible death. The owner put himself at risk of death, to rescue his beloved pet from the jaws of an ALLIGATOR! An Alligator is a "predator" of people, dogs, cats, birds etc is now dead.

My question is this. Why would anyone complain that the dog was not on a leash on his own property, unless they just want to make themselves look good on this list? Quoting leash laws is one way to make a statement. Personally, I think it is pathetic. :boom: Now, that's how I feel. You have your opinion and I have mine!

Betty

The dog need to be under control in his own yard - on a leash off his property. Why are you people so crazy about this leash stuff???? Give the guy a break he saved his best friend.

It just seems to me that there are SOOOOO many more important things to worry about. Sorry if this offends anyone but this is just an interesting story but nothing to "get your panties in a wad about". BTW we have a Westie who rules our life but there is poverty, starvation, war, etc, etc. let's put our energy where we can make a difference.

Thank God! Another voice of REASON.

Betty

Good grief. Regarding "We now have a dead alligator who was only doing what was natural.".........

If a dead nuisance alligator is to be so pitied, and more pitied than people or pets who could be dismembered and killed by it, then I guess the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission is all screwed up in its mission and work to conserve and protect wildlife while also protecting citizens in their communities and yards. FL Fish & Wildlife must be way off base for operating the Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program!

Maybe you ought to sue and file an alligator "civil rights" class-action case against Florida Fish & Wildlife for all the 5,856 "pitiful" alligators legally killed in just the year of 2010, because of their being a threat to the safety of citizens in their homes and communities!

"The Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP) is administered by FWC's Division of Hunting and Game Management. SNAP is one of five components of Florida’s comprehensive Alligator Management Program. Its mission is to address complaints concerning alligators.

Persons with concerns about an alligator may call FWC’s toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 1-866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286). Generally, an alligator may be deemed a nuisance if it is at least four feet in length and the caller believes it poses a threat to people, pets or property.

SNAP uses contracted nuisance alligator trappers throughout the state to remove alligators from locations where they are unwanted or unwelcome. If a complaint meets the qualifying criteria, SNAP will issue a permit to a contracted nuisance alligator trapper authorizing the removal of the animal.
Complainants must be able to grant legal access to the property on which the alligator is located. SNAP does not permit the removal of nuisance alligators from private or publicly managed property without first obtaining permission from the property owner or management authority.

In 2010, SNAP received 13,047 nuisance alligator complaints resulting in the removal of 5,856 nuisance alligators."

Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program website:
Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program

This whole argument is inane. The bottom line is, be a responsible pet owner. Do whatever needs to be done to keep your pet out of harm's way. Then NOBODY has to die.

You wouldn't let your dog run around loose on the street with cars going by. Why would you let him run around loose around a pond with alligators? Cars happen; alligators happen. Be proactive and protect your pet. Wildlife does not have to die because of your innocent pet running around loose.

I couldn't wrestle a car, but I think I could handle a small gator.

the alligator was not a nuisance until the dog was allowed to leave his property (no house properties extend to the shore). Having said that, I am happy that he was able to save his pet without injury.

there are a number of armless, footless, handless people who might disagree.

Oh. So with this reasoning, gators become nuisances only because residents and visitors leave their yard, and go to the edge of a retention pond, to sail their remote-control sailboats, throw in a fish line with their grandkids, or to see where their golf ball went (and also decide not to retrieve it because of gators or snakes).

So if a grandchild is playing in the yard with his grandpa and the child is not on a leash, it's the gator's right to go after the child and the gator is not a nuisance.

The value of human life is hitting new lows.

Do wins, alligator loses
 

The dog was still not on a leash in the news report.. If the man had followed the rules, he would not had to save his best friend, a alligator would still be alive. Do you accept it as being OK to ignore the rules that you don't like ???

The news report I saw (ch 6) showed the guy holding the dog in his arms. Do you think dogs being held need a leash? Do you think dogs on their own property need a leash?

I'm not getting this.

So you can predict what a wild reptile will do, depending on whether a dog is tied in and limited to a 6-foot circle or not???

If the dog had been tied to a tree or bush in its own yard, there is no reason to assume the gator wouldn't have come after it for lunch THERE!

And if the dog had been on a leash in the owner's hand, inside or outside their yard boundary, there is no assurance that the gator wouldn't have come after the dog AND the man, and the gator can out-run them!

People should obey the leash laws, but the problem here is that GATORS don't give a rip about leash laws!!!

My stupidity threshold has been maxed out for the day, done here for a while.

This is what the guy who captured the gator (firewalkerb3) had to say in another thread:

"I assure a dog lease would have not changed a thing. I assure you this gator had been thinking about his dog for some time. His dog is white the color of a gators favorite bird. Once a gator decides he is going to eat something, he going after it. Yes a gator will walk right throw a screen room to get a meal."

If you are a thief and you come onto my property you have me to deal with. If you are an animal and you come onto my property with intent to do harm to me or mine, you have me to deal with. You can take it to the bank that the gator in question saw both the man and the dog in the back yard and still went for the dog. Hence, you have a rouge gator that has lost his fear of man. 1 + 1 = Kill the gator before he moves on from dogs near water to stealing my rump roast off the grill and next to coming through the screen door after my wife. Yes that would be the extreme case, but if you don't think that is possible, you know nothing about animal behavior. Sorry but that is the way I feel.

So the Bottom Line: As much as I like to see the gators in the ponds if they become so relaxed that they do not skitter away when a man is within 50 to 100 feet of them, its time for alligator soup.

Simply put, I could care less about the alligator. He is a PREDATOR! I do care a great deal about someone's companion pet.

In answer to your question, "Do you accept it as being OK to ignore the rules that you don't like ??? , this is my reply - "Let him who is without sin, cast the first stone".

dog versus alligator
 

The bottom line here is that we have a dead alligator, could have had a dead dog, could have had a seriously injured man all because the owner chose to ignore the leash laws that apply to everyone. Alligators are NOT predators of humans, they hunt small animals and normally avoid man. I am glad you feel better and if you are a pet owner drive a car or anything else that have regulations, it is a good idea that you obey those regulations.

"Alligators are NOT predators of humans, they hunt small animals and normally avoid man".

Please tell that to the following:

List of fatal alligator attacks in the United States by decade - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

End of discussion!

At best a dog might be equal to a 3 year old child. Would you allow that child to play near the edge of a pond that a gator lives in? Laws are made to protect us and in this situation to protect those that lack good common sense. The man chose to ignore both the law and common sense and both he and his dog almost paid with their lives.

I agree!