Florida man saves his dog from 12-foot alligator 

A Florida man saved his dog from the grip of a 12-foot alligator last week by bravely jumping on his back, authorities said.

The man and his partner were walking their dog at Riverside Park in Oviedo, Florida last Friday when suddenly an alligator jumped out of the nearby water, said city officials. The alligator grabbed a hold of the dog in its mouth. 

Upon seeing that his pooch was about to get eaten by the 12-foot alligator, the man jumped on the reptile's back and struggled with it until it freed the dog. 

“A boyfriend and girlfriend were walking their dog at Riverside Park in the back along the Little Econ River when an alligator came out and snatched it,” city communication manager Lisa McDonald told Fox News 35 Orlando in an email. 

“According to staff, (not witnessed), the boyfriend jumped on top of the alligator to rescue the dog. They were able to free the animal,” she said.

The dog was taken to a local hospital due to wounds received from the bite. The dog’s condition is unknown. 

The couple did not call 911 to report the incident and waited a day to notify park authorities. 

After finding out about the incident, park officials contacted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to trap the alligator. After being caught, the FWC euthanized the 12-foot, six-inches long alligator. 

Riverside Park has several large alligators within its boundaries, particularly around any body of water. 

“Dog owners are highly discouraged from walking their pets near any body of water due to the dense alligator population, especially during alligator mating season,” McDonald said.

According to the FWC, individuals are encouraged to keep a safe distance from any places where there could be alligators, keep pets on a leash and far away from the edge of any body of water, and swim only in designated areas.