A Florida man became a hero to man’s best friend after jumping into the water to save his dog who had been snatched by an alligator.
Mike McCoy was walking his 8-month-old chocolate lab Jake by a pond behind a middle school.
Suddenly, an alligator sprung up and grabbed the pup. It seemed like Jake was a goner as the gator, which Florida Fish and Wildlife officials estimate to be between 7 and 9 feet long, began a death roll with the dog.
Teacher Witnessed It All
Kellie Mallon is a teacher at the middle school near Tampa. She saw the shocking incident. She reports it took just a split second for the beast to get control of the dog and drag him into the water.
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“It was kind of like a snake darting really fast, like a snake darts real fast and puts its head back. It was super fast,” the teacher said.
Mike couldn’t stand by as his dog was turned into lunch.
He risked it all by jumping into the pond to battle the gator and save Jake’s life.
Taking on an alligator in the water is a huge risk. Mike did this without even knowing if there was another beast in the pond.
Both he and Jake could have easily ended up in pieces.
But, Mike thought fast. He was able to take the alligator down with the power of his thumb.
The devoted dog owner stuck his thumb in the gator’s eye until it released Jake from its jaws.
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“I got around, thumbed him in the eye, picked him out of the water so he couldn’t get anywhere, until he let the dog go,” Mike said. “and in the interim, he decided, ‘OK, I don’t have him. I’ll bite you.’”
Lucky dog! Jake was pulled into a Pasco County pond by a 7-9 foot alligator yesterday. Mike McCoy jumped in to save him, using his thumb to jab the gator in the eye, and lifting him out of the water. The gator released Jake. Both owner and dog suffered bites but are doing ok. pic.twitter.com/NC2COCB473
— Erik Waxler (@erikwaxler) May 12, 2021
No Hesitation To Jump In Pond With Alligator
Both Mike and Jake suffered some bites, but they got through the ordeal with their lives and limbs intact.
This dynamic duo required stitches. The school nurse was on the scene to tend to their wounds immediately.
Jake is remarkably back to himself, but he is sporting a cone of shame to keep himself from licking his gator-induced wounds.
You can watch an interview with Jake, Mike, and the witness teacher in the video below.
Mike McCoy said he didn’t give any thought about his safety before he rushed into the water.
“No hesitation. It’s just the way it is,” he said.
A trapper was called to fetch the alligator from the pond next to the middle school.
They are lucky it didn’t grab a child.
If you think that dog dad is a hero, check out this video where a guy squares off with a kangaroo to save his dog!