Florida Woman Punches Alligator to Save Pet From Deadly Attack

A Florida woman used her fists to fight off a 5-foot alligator that lunged at her puppy in Land O’ Lakes, about 20 miles north of Tampa, according to local authorities, as reported by The New York Post.

The incident occurred last week as Danie Wright was walking her 4-month-old puppy, Dax, near a creek behind her home. Wright told WTSP that the reptile suddenly attacked.

“I heard a squeal, and I got pulled,” she said. “The alligator had him by his collar and dragged him, and I wasn’t gonna let go.”

Woman Punches Alligator to Save Her Puppy Amid Brutal Attack

FIGHT OF HER LIFE
“These alligators are no joke,” said the puppy’s owner, Danie Wright, after the encounter.https://t.co/pzuPiN35CO

— @googeliart.bsky.social  (@GoogeliArt) September 12, 2025

Wright said she struck the gator repeatedly until it released the dog. “I just punched him, punched and punched,” she recalled. “I punched him in the eye enough that he kind of let go … but his teeth dragged down my arm.”

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While Dax was unharmed, Wright sustained bite wounds and is now recovering. Officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) responded to the scene, trapped the alligator, and removed it from the area.

Wright, who has lived in Florida for two decades, warned other pet owners about the risks. “Just be careful with your dogs, you know these alligators are no joke,” she said. “I mean, 15 feet, he came out to get him, and I didn’t see him.”

‘I just punched and punched’ | A Land O’ Lakes woman fought off an alligator with her fists after the reptile clamped down on her puppy.https://t.co/6Tl8meOCnv

— WPEC CBS12 News (@CBS12) September 13, 2025

FWC data shows Florida averages about eight unprovoked alligator attacks on people each year, one of which has been fatal in 2025. Attacks on pets are more frequent.

In July, 27-year-old optometrist Amber Perren was mauled by an 8-foot alligator while wading in the St. Lucie River. She survived but required multiple surgeries, according to WPTV.

Earlier this summer, 61-year-old Cynthia Diekema was killed near Lake Kissimmee State Park when an 11-foot alligator overturned her canoe and dragged her underwater, according to an FWC report.

Wildlife officials estimate there are approximately 1.3 million alligators across Florida.

The FWC recently launched a new public awareness initiative called “GatorWise” to remind residents and visitors that the animals may be present in nearly all bodies of water throughout the state.

The FWC advises pet owners to keep animals on leashes and avoid walking them near lakes, ponds, and canals where alligators are often found.

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