Posted on 09/19/2012 9:42:57 AM PDT by DeFault User
A stunned Steve Gustafson thought only of saving his "best friend" from the jaws of a 7-foot alligator carrying away his terrier...
Gustafson, a resident of The Villages retirement community northwest of Orlando, recalled Tuesday he was trimming his oak tree while the gator lurked in a quiet pond nearby. Bounce, a butterfly-chasing West Highland Terrier, was at the water's edge when Gustafson heard a blood-curdling yelp. Terrified, he looked out and watched the gator swimming away with Bounce's shoulder and collar in his grasp.
"I just knew that my best friend was going to be dead," he said. "And I took off."
Gustafson scrambled screaming to the water's edge and took a running leap. After a frenzied struggle with the gator, the 66-year-old grandfather and retired corporate lawyer told wildlife authorities that he successfully rescued Bounce — and both dog and master escaped serious injury in the frightening encounter Friday.
"For whatever reason, I don't know, I just yelled, 'you're not going to get her!' and just leaped on the gator…just like you do some silly belly flop in a pool," the Iowa native said. "The only difference was I landed on top of a gator."
Within seconds he said he wrangled the reptile's head to the bottom of the pond while grabbing its back leg. The 130-pound gator spun trying to submerge them all in 3 feet of water, but Gustafson regained his balance and shoved the gator toward the shore, a move that freed the diminutive Bounce, who weighs 13 pounds. The pooch slowly paddled for safety as Gustafson tossed the startled gator back into the pond, but not before it snapped at his right hand.
Shaken, soaked and bruised, Gustafson snatched Bounce and dashed to the shore with the wounded 9-year-old dog in his arms.
(Excerpt) Read more at articles.orlandosentinel.com ...
He needs to carry a big stick and open that gator’s mouth wide.
Iowa native. That gator never had a chance.
“They’re good for only three thing.”
“Shoes, belts, and luggage.”
It appears you have not yet been introduced to fried gator tail. Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm!!!!
The basic rule of safety regarding gators is that you keep more the TWICE the distance from the water’s edge of the maximum lenght of a possible reesident alligator. IOW, if there’s a 7 foot gator in he pond...and others had to have seen it before...then keep infants, pets, and others, 15 feet from the water’s edge..
It is important to remember that a Gator WILL NOT eat a Lawyer.
They risk certain death from toxemia.
Sharks won’t eat Lawyers neither, Professional Courtesy.
Well, he was a corporate lawyer, not an ambulance chaser. I’ll cut him some slack.
Ok..I’ll cut him some slack, Jack! :-)
HAHAHA!!!!
Without Gators there would be no egrets, herons, spoonbills, Ibis or storks. Other wildlife depends on gator wallows for drinking water. They are a vital part of a very old chain.
Environmentalist poppycock.
No, it’s not, and it’s an issue I’m well qualified to debate.
“This happens all the time at the Villages. “
==
Read a book about The Villages a while back and realized living there was not for me.
The alligator presence reinforces my decision.
.
I would do anything in my power to save my babies.
I swear I don’t understand how anyone lives in some of these places; even in the US we have treacherous animals and regularly-scheduled natural disasters.
I consider myself to live in the best place physically there could be.
Brave owner.
God gave us dogs to teach us the meaning of love and loyalty.
See “Why No One Should Live in the USA” graphic:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8967927@N02/3708056136/
Good on ya, Grandfather.
:-D You forgot handbags. Yikes! What a close call for Bounce & her worthy master. Thank goodness for happy endings!
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