Dog Rescued From Gator's Jaws

When a big alligator with a taste for terriers tried to make a meal out of an Inverness woman’s dog, the creature met its match.

The scene unfolded at Point O’Woods golf course in Inverness July 11 as Lori Beiswenger was out doing some gardening near a pond by the sixth hole, WPTV reported. Her little dog Hope, a 9-year-old terrier mix, was out with her.

When Besiwenger’s back was turned to the pond, the gator managed to snag Hope for a snack, the station reported.

Rather than stand by and watch her beloved dog become the creature’s dinner, Beiswenger, 52, dove in for the save. She grabbed the gator’s tail and pulled it three times before the creature turned its attention to her.

Scared, Beiswenger gave up the fight and retreated to the bank, but more help was on the way.

Jodie Daniels, a golf course volunteer, heard the commotion and grabbed a golf club, WTSP reported. He couldn’t reach Hope to save her, but Beiswenger returned with a shovel. Daniels was able to float the dog’s body out of the water, the station reported.

Still alive, Hope ran up the bank with the gator close on her tail, both stations reported.

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Beiswenger and Daniels were able to save the dog. After emergency surgery and lots of stitches, Hope is expected to make a recovery.

Beiswenger admits the rescue was “the dumbest bravest thing I’ve ever done,” but told WTSP she loves her dog. “I wasn’t going to lose her.”

As for the gator, it was caught by a local trapper who sold its meat to a local restaurant, both stations reported.

The attack on Hope occurred one day before a black Labrador named Haze faced off with a gator in Tampa’s Rowlett Park. While Haze’s caregiver attempted a save, the story didn’t have the happy ending.

Alligator encounters are common this time of year as warm temperatures increase the creatures’ activity levels.

“All reptiles are more active in the warmer months,” Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesman Gary Morse told Patch. “That’s just the cold-blooded creatures’ (way). Their metabolism increases and they do become active.”

That activity has prompted so many calls over the years the state has set up a hotline to report nuisance gators. The number is 1-866-FWC-GATOR.

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