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Gator attacked, ate 40lb pet dog 'like it was nothing,' owner tells Florida newspaper
WEAR-TV 3 Pensacola | | The National Desk ^ | Friday, June 17th 2022 | by ZACHARY ROGERS

Posted on 06/20/2022 7:58:17 AM PDT by Red Badger

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (TND) — In what must have been a terrible surprise, a north Florida man reportedly says a monstrous alligator exploded out of the water and devoured his beloved pet while they were playing fetch.

Josh Wells tells the Tallahassee Democrat he was with his 40-pound black Labrador Retriever mix, named "Toby," on a nature trail in early June when the attack happened.

Toby was reportedly standing in shallow water near the trail when he was grabbed, head first, by the gator. Wells says he and Toby were playing fetch with a tennis ball at the time.

Boom, the water just sort of exploded," Wells says to the newspaper. "He never barked. He never saw it... It took him down like it was nothing.

Wells only stopped himself from chasing down and grabbing the gator after seeing how large it was, he reportedly recounts.

A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation (FWC) incident report reveals the gator who ate Toby was a little bit more than nine feet long, according to the Tallahassee Democrat.

The area where Wells and his dog were playing is reportedly known to be a popular area where neighborhood kids play in the water.

There’s cul-de-sacs, you’re not expecting a gator to come out and eat your dog," Wells reportedly tells the newspaper. Trappers with Florida's Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP) were reportedly able to locate and euthanize the gator who killed Toby and were even able to retrieve the beloved pet's remains so that Wells could bury them.

Toby's death comes just weeks after a 47-year-old man was presumably attacked and killed by an alligator while he was searching for a frisbee near water in Florida.

Alligator attacks in Florida are said to be rare by FWC, but the organization warns people should still be vigilant.

Although many Floridians have learned to coexist with alligators, the potential for conflict always exists. Serious injuries caused by alligators are rare in Florida," says Florida Fish and Wildlife on its website. "Remember, never feed an alligator and keep your distance if you see one. Swim only in designated swimming areas during daylight hours. And keep pets on a leash and away from the water. FWC estimates there are about 1.3 million gators in Florida, and they all become more active in the spring and summer when their metabolism increases.

If anyone in Florida even encounters a "nuisance alligator," the FWC says, they can contact a hotline with their information at 866-FWC-GATOR.


TOPICS: Education; Outdoors; Pets/Animals; Travel
KEYWORDS: andagain; gators
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To: Red Badger

Gay man’s companion Dooley


81 posted on 06/20/2022 12:12:56 PM PDT by wardaddy (Where did all the sane posters go......they cannot have all died ....could they ?)
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To: rlmorel

What year and where was your jamboree?


82 posted on 06/20/2022 2:52:01 PM PDT by Keyhopper (Indians had bad immigration laws)
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To: justme4now

Gators in FL no longer fear man. Back when they were an endangered species we swam in every body of water we could get to and never had any problems. The only time you ever heard about an attack, which was rare, it was a golfer getting too close to a water hazard.


83 posted on 06/20/2022 3:02:12 PM PDT by Rebelbase
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To: Red Badger

We have a small water retention pond on our property half mile from any other water we have a 2 foot gator in their right now we call him ali.keeps the frogs under control.


84 posted on 06/20/2022 3:10:02 PM PDT by bikerman (BLUE LIVES MATTER, FJB.)
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To: Joe Brower

Outlanders: PLEASE, for the LOVE of GOD, do NOT move to Florida!

At the large end, Alligators will literally eat you alive.

At the small end, Killer Mosquitos will suck your blood, drive you insane with itching, and give you incurable tropical diseases.

For your own health and safety, DO NOT MOVE TO FLORIDA!


85 posted on 06/20/2022 3:41:11 PM PDT by Travis McGee (EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com)
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To: Keyhopper

Lol…1972 in Virginia…my troop was on a small Naval Communication base a few miles from Andrews AFB.

We were a bit dysfunctional.

It was a bit of disaster for us anyway. You had to be dropped off a couple of miles away, and your troop had to build a functional Travis to haul all your stuff in on, and we used bad wood. As we dragged it over the road, it wore down the wood, and it began to unravel. We barely made it in, and we were judged poorly.

The next morning was the egg throwing which started as randomly throwing eggs blindly out into the general camp, then an egg fight with a nearby troop. When it was broken up, we were rightly branded as the initiators and ejected.

At least that’s how I remember it…


86 posted on 06/20/2022 4:18:09 PM PDT by rlmorel (Nolnah's Razor: Never attribute to incompetence that which is adequately explained by malice.)
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To: Honest Nigerian

“..The teeth of alligators are not “razor sharp”...”

Probably true...not “razor” sharp, but I’ll let you stick YOUR hand in there to check it out, not me...LOL.
I can tell you this for sure: they rip those hogs apart like they are nothing. There’s a couple of em back in there that’s gotta be at least a 12’-13’ long.


87 posted on 06/20/2022 4:31:51 PM PDT by lgjhn23 (Pray for America....)
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To: rlmorel

Yeah, sounds about right😁
Had some really good time in the scouts.


88 posted on 06/20/2022 5:18:41 PM PDT by Keyhopper (Indians had bad immigration laws)
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To: Keyhopper

I did too. Sigh. The scouts completely caving to the homosexual agenda was a really depressing and disillusioning development for me.

I was in two troops, one in the Philippines, and one in Maryland, and I had a good time in both of them.

We had to worry about a philandering Scoutmaster who would drop us off on camping weekends to consort with his mistress, and would hook back up with us on Sunday morning.

Now, I would have to worry about a predatory Scoutmaster.

It is very painful to consider how it is now, but I am glad I was part of it way back when, even if I wasn’t an example of a perfect Scout.

I am grateful for that.


89 posted on 06/20/2022 5:32:49 PM PDT by rlmorel (Nolnah's Razor: Never attribute to incompetence that which is adequately explained by malice.)
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To: LouAvul

Not just Floridians.

A South Carolinian woman tried to feed a familiar gator in a nearby pond. It took her life.


90 posted on 06/20/2022 6:29:52 PM PDT by Does so (https//youtu.be/3PxEWB6W8ig ......Uke's Independence Day Parade. Anthem starts at 15:00)
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To: justme4now

Where was that picture taken? Alligator Alley?


91 posted on 06/20/2022 6:40:07 PM PDT by Old Grumpy
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To: Keyhopper

Hahahahahaha

My gosh, different times!

92 posted on 06/20/2022 6:55:21 PM PDT by rlmorel (Nolnah's Razor: Never attribute to incompetence that which is adequately explained by malice.)
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To: Red Badger

Hi Red,
I root for the Gators but that is when they are on the gridiron.
As a 29 year resident of Florida I can say, “ we have the gators, they are thriving, beware they are dangerous but a wonderful part of our environment!”
We rent a pontoon boat every year to run down and back up the St.Johns River to see the Manatees, Gators, Eagles, Birds of all colors and species and it is a highlight of our Spring.
Nature is beautiful. It does the heart good to see and thank the Creator of it all!


93 posted on 06/20/2022 7:16:20 PM PDT by BatGuano (Fauci = Mengele (Angel of Death) + End the IRS)
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To: rlmorel

My older brother made his eagle, however, I only made star scout. Most of our leaders were ex military and taught us we’ll. We went camping one weekend a month and every summer we did 2 weeks somewhere. It started going downhill after the parents didn’t get involved and we were babysitters.
My father was a south Florida council commissioner for the boyscouts we had lots of good times.


94 posted on 06/20/2022 8:04:24 PM PDT by Keyhopper (Indians had bad immigration laws)
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To: NautiNurse

Wow!


95 posted on 06/20/2022 10:12:01 PM PDT by nutmeg
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To: BatGuano

Yes, but did He have to create so damn many?......................


96 posted on 06/21/2022 5:09:57 AM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegal aliens are put up in hotels.....................)
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To: Old Grumpy
Where was that picture taken? Alligator Alley?

Yes, Alligator Alley but I don't know the year.🤔
97 posted on 06/21/2022 5:32:32 AM PDT by justme4now (Falsehood flies, and the Truth comes limping after it)
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