[valuemkt]

I guess we'll say the same thing when a stupid fisherman gets pulled down.

[Luggage]

The way of the world . T.s. for the idiot who lost their dog

[Luggage]

We need bigger signs.

[jaygbailey]

[QUOTE=Two Bills;2094657]So.
A 'visitor' takes dogs, unleashed, for a walk around the pond located across from the postal station on Canal Street in the Village of Bonita.
Alligator does what hungry alligators do when they see a lunch, and takes and kills one of the dogs.
Trapper called to kill Alligator!
Why?
If someone is dumb enough to take dogs to a pond area, and let them off leash to wander, why has poor alligator got to die.
Surely owner should be charged with allowing dogs off leash, and cruelty to animals?
My entire sympathy is with alligator, and poor dog who died!

Alligators serve no function in our ponds other than to be predators of the pets that we love. They are a pest and should be removed from all our ponds.

[nhtexasrn]

Originally Posted by MDLNB

I have no problem with the idea of either moving the gator or killing it. As far as I know, they are not our friends and other than food, baggage and footwear, the only service they seem to provide is moat security. Actually, they might also be good for removing some of the lower intelligence level folks that seem to think it's great to get close to the gator and take photos of them.
Dogs are supposed to be on leash but that does not mean they deserve such a horrible ending to their lives. They provide a lot better companionship than a reptile. But, it seems that many dog owners do not have a clue as to the responsibility of pet ownership.

Alligators play an important role in maintaining ecosystem balance. Sitting at the top of the food chain, alligators are apex predators and help keep other animal populations in balance, quoted from research I have done. No one is blaming the dog for being off leash, it's the ignorant owners who are to blame. Now an innocent dog is dead and an alligator soon to be dead, simply doing what they do naturally.

[MandoMan]

Originally Posted by Two Bills

So.
A 'visitor' takes dogs, unleashed, for a walk around the pond located across from the postal station on Canal Street in the Village of Bonita.
Alligator does what hungry alligators do when they see a lunch, and takes and kills one of the dogs.
Trapper called to kill Alligator!
Why?
If someone is dumb enough to take dogs to a pond area, and let them off leash to wander, why has poor alligator got to die.
Surely owner should be charged with allowing dogs off leash, and cruelty to animals?
My entire sympathy is with alligator, and poor dog who died!

Do you know what a “sacrificial diode” is in a water heater? It’s a replaceable metal rod that gets eaten up by ions in the water, dying so the water heater can live on. This was a “sacrificial pet.” Of course, given that a huge percentage of dogs in shelters are unwanted pit bulls, this one can be easily replaced.

[Dantes]

I feel the same way about dogs and cats

[Mushkie]

Originally Posted by TrapX

Visitor didn't understand the danger. Sadly, it cost him his dog, Alligators are a nuisance to people and neighborhoods. No such thing as a "poor alligator". They all can go away so we can enjoy the area we live in.

The alligators are one of the many things I love LOVE about living in The Villages !!!

I have a difficult time believing the reason the visitor had their dogs off leash was due to ignorance regarding the existence of alligators in Florida. Roads are lines with billboards of alligators; gas stations and fruit stands advertise ALLIGATORS. No one can be that mentally challenged not to know there is LOTS OF WILDLIFE in Florida. I suspect the “visitor” just didn’t want to obey the leash laws and thought they were above the laws of nature.

All the wildlife is to be cherished and enjoyed here. Wild Alligators are typically not aggressive towards people- usually more scared of us than we are of them. Once alligators are fed by people, then they lose their fear of people and these interactions can happen more.

The bigger question is why do people purposely move somewhere with knowing certain issues exist- lots of wildlife, or freeway noise or lack of shops or too many shops or FREEDOM FROM
TYRANNY and then bitch and complain about those issues and try to change it into the place they lived before??

If you don’t love and in awe of the incredible wildlife The Villages has to offer- I feel sorry for you and suggest this is probably not the place for you. Don’t destroy the wildlife and the enjoyment it brings to others to suit your taste. Find a place that suits you better.

[gemini5001]

I certainly agree with you !

[MartinSE]

Originally Posted by Mushkie

The bigger question is why do people purposely move somewhere with knowing certain issues exist- lots of wildlife, or freeway noise or lack of shops or too many shops or FREEDOM FROM TYRANNY and then bitch and complain about those issues and try to change it into the place they lived before??

Bingo. There are those that are not happy. PERIOD. I actually think someone them moved here with plans to change the place before they even got here.

It's like going to going to Disney world and complaining they don't have ball room dancing...

[mtdjed]

There should be a sanctuary for wild gators. Perhaps in some river in South Texas.

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by Mikey1588

Sorry but the Alligator has to go. Would you feel the same if the Alligator attacked your child or grandchild?

Yes.

Difference is, as a parent I would be more attentive and not let my child be dangerously close to a pond in Florida. The parents in the Disney incident didn't think that way. The dog owner in this case had the dog off leash - who knows if they were thinking at all.

[nhtexasrn]

Originally Posted by MDLNB

Alligators here before us? So? Trees were here also but we cut them down and use them. Poor trees. We are here now and we are the top of the food chain. Sorry about that....not really. If gators are a threat, then we get rid of them. Eat them, make useful products out of them or stuff them.....who cares? We are here now and why should we be concerned about their welfare? Because they look neat? Because the Yankees love to take photos of them to send to their Northern friends and family? Sorry, but humans get the top slot in The Villages. Pets get the second slot and gators can be moved or eaten.

Alligators play an important role in maintaining ecosystem balance. Sitting at the top of the food chain, alligators are apex predators and help keep other animal populations in balance, quoted from research I have done. Now an innocent dog is dead and an alligator soon to be dead, simply doing what they do naturally. Remember when wolves were being hunted and shot in Yellowstone because they were a "nuisance"? In the 70 years of the wolves’ absence, the entire Yellowstone ecosystem fell out of balance. Coyotes ran rampant, and the elk population exploded, overgrazing willows and aspens. When wolves were re-introduced into the area, everything returned to the normal balance of nature and everything thrived.

[Cfdettmer]

Then you would have a problem. Most male alligators are over 6 ft. They can grow to about 12 ft. Females grow to about 6 ft. The male alligators are on the prowl right now looking for attractive females….

[Vermilion Villager]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

They probably feel the same way and wish we would go away so they can enjoy the area they lived in long before we got here.

.....And long after we are gone!!