Wild animals are so different from our pet doggos. Because they roam freely in their habitat and are used to looking out for their prey, they can sometimes be a threat especially to smaller animals who were not born and raised in the wild.
As Richard Wilbanks was enjoying nature in Fort Myers, Florida, he was smoking his cigar and taking his Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Gunner, out for a walk. It was a peaceful afternoon until an alligator jumped out of the nearby pond and clenched its jaws around the three-month-old puppy.
He didn’t have any time to think about what was happening and just followed his instincts. Richard immediately jumped into the water wrestling with the gator’s mouth to let go of Gunner. He was so focused on opening the wild animal’s mouth that he didn’t notice that his mouth was clenching his cigar the whole time!
Gunner kept yelping in pain as the alligator kept clinging to him. Until finally, Richard was able to open the alligator’s mouth and set Gunner free. The poor doggo ran away quickly away from the pond as Richard was still there in the water dealing with the wild animal.
The whole thing was recorded by the cameras that were set up around the pond by two conservation groups, Florida Wildlife Federation and the fSTOP Foundation. They set up cameras there because of their Sharing The Landscape Project which promotes the idea of co-existing with wildlife.
According to Gunner’s hoomans, the poor pooch seemed traumatized by what had happened and was quiet for a few days. But other than that, he surely didn’t sustain any injuries and was able to recover from the event ever since.
Richard’s wife is so thankful that her husband was strong and brave enough to save Gunner from the alligator. They couldn’t imagine what could’ve happened if Richard wasn’t there to protect their puppy. Gunner is now doing well and is back to his cheerful old self.
Video Credit: Inside Edition