Video Story
Watch VideoRelated Stories
Dogs attacked by alligator while swimming
Story By: Bea Karnes
Source: NBC
Published Mon Jan 14, 2008, 10:55 AM MST
Updated Mon Jan 14, 2008, 11:29 AM MST
A young dog is lucky to be alive after surviving a deadly encounter with an alligator. Witnesses say they saw three dogs being attacked by the alligator after hearing a loud commotion near their homes on Sunday.
Delray Beach Fire Officials who responded say it was too late to rescue, but they took part in the search. "According to bystanders that live around the lake, the gator was approximately eight feet long and that it's there every day," said Lt. Mark Reynolds of Delray Beach Fire and Rescue.
One witness said he saw three dogs, one puppy on shore, another in the water and an older dog, presumably the mother, swimming across the lake. She stopped, turned around to swim back towards her puppy, and the gator took her under.
The puppy on shore ran away and wasn't found, but bystanders were able to capture one and turn it over to rescuers. "Very few dogs that are subject of an alligator attack survive those events," Dianne Sauve with the Palm Beach County Animal Care & Control Division said. They've temporarily named him "Lucky." They believe the puppy is about four months old. They say he was temporarily paralyzed by fear and bit one of his rescuers on the hand. Now that he now has a bite record, "Lucky" may not be so fortunate after all.
"It has no microchip so it's not in our system so we are desperate to find who owns the dog so we can get confirmation on whether it's ever had a rabies vaccine or not," Sauve said. Without proof, he may have to be put down. "Our goal here is to try to save the dog and all of those people involved in the rescue would like to see this dog saved," she said.
Animal Care & Control says they have two options: to euthanize the dog or to quarantine him for six months. They say the decision will be made sometime this week and depends on the condition of the man he bit.
