'The Water Exploded': Gator Attacks, Eats Florida Man's Dog

FLORIDA — A Florida man is still in disbelief and mourning after an alligator recently attacked and devoured his beloved dog before his very eyes.

Josh Wells told the Tallahassee Democrat he was throwing Toby, his 40-pound black labrador retriever mix, a tennis ball along the J.R. Alford Greenway Trail earlier this month.

At some point, Toby walked into shallow water to cool off — a move that would cost the pup his life.

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

Wells refused to let his dog go without a fight. Without hesitation, he jumped into the water and tried to grab the gator.

However, the young father quickly decided that was not a good idea after realizing just how big the gator was.

Florida Fish and Wildlife ultimately found the gator, and a Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program trapper removed it. The gator was over 9 feet long, the state wildlife officer noted in the incident report.

According to the newspaper, Toby's remains were returned to Wells, allowing him to give his four-legged friend a proper burial.

“No one wants to go by gator, you know?” Wells said.

Although exact population figures are not known, Florida has a healthy and stable population of about 1.3 million alligators of every size, state wildlife experts say.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission offers a few safety rules to co-exist with alligators:

• Make sure pets are on a leash and at a safe distance from the water’s edge.
• Never feed an alligator.
• Swim during the day and only in designated areas.
• If you see an alligator, keep your distance.
• Closely supervise children when they are playing in or around water.

Over the last 10 years, the state said it's averaged 8 unprovoked bites per year serious enough to require professional medical treatment.

However, the likelihood of a Florida resident being seriously injured during an unprovoked alligator incident in Florida is roughly one in 3.1 million, FWC officials said.

From 1948 to 2021, 442 unprovoked bite incidents have occurred in Florida — 26 of these bites resulted in human fatalities.

Concerned about an alligator? Call FWC’s Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286).