A man took the ultimate risk when he jammed the eye of an alligator to save his beloved pet dog’s life.
The man and his dog are both recovering after the gator attacked his pet dog during a walk this week in Holiday, Florida.
Mike McCoy and his friend walk their dogs together every day, but on Tuesday morning, a gator grabbed his 8-month-old dog, Jake. “I didn’t see it, but I knew it because of the death cry,” he said. “So that was it … gotta get him. And I did, thank you, Jesus.”
McCoy had to act fast to save his dog and the ordeal lasted just a few minutes. “So I stuck my thumb through his eye … picked him up so he couldn’t get anywhere and he finally let go of my dog,” he explained.
“And before he swam off, he busts me with a hand bite. And that was it.” The 62-year-old said he didn’t even think twice about going after the alligator. “No second thoughts. Can’t. You don’t have time,” he said. “It’s a parental instinct. But I’m glad I have it because I wouldn’t have him.”
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials said they were contacted by the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office around 8:30 a.m. May 11 about an alligator incident near Sweetbriar Drive.
The FWC said it is investigating and coordinating with a contracted “nuisance alligator” trapper. The gator was caught on Thursday and FWC said it was 7 feet long.
McCoy is relieved that the alligator was caught because of how close it was to a school. “I think we were put there for a reason,” he said. “So maybe God wanted me there with him so, problem resolved?”
McCoy and his dog are both but it could have ended badly, “We could have came out a heck of a lot worse. I mean, I have no tendon damage [or] broken bones,” he said. “He has no broken bones or punctures to his vitals.”