75-Year Old Florida Man Wrestled With Alligator to Save Dog

A Florida man was dog-sitting his daughter’s Golden retriever when an alligator lunged out of the pond behind his home and latched onto the dog’s back. Thankfully, the 75-year old grandfather came to the rescue and both lived to tell the tale.

Buddy Ackerman was caring for his daughter’s Golden retriever, Osi, at his Palm Harbor, Florida lakefront home while she was away on vacation. On Tuesday, Osi was in the backyard “doing his business” when a 7 foot, 7 inch long alligator lunged from the pond and latched onto Osi’s backside.

Ackerman described what looked like rippling in the water followed by an explosion as the gator snapped at Osi.

“He was squealing a good bit when the thing grabbed him,” Ackerman told ABC Action News. “Me, I’m a nervous wreck, I go up and slip and fall on my rear end, and the two of us are tugging. Alligator is going one way, I’m going the other.”

Eventually, Ackerman was able to kick the alligator in the snout a couple of times, causing it to open it’s mouth and release the large dog. But, Ackerman said, it would have been tragic if Osi was a smaller dog.

“I don’t know what would have happened with people with little Pekingese or something running around. I guess we’d say goodbye.”

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission warns residents to be cautious with their dogs, especially around bodies of water, advising pet owners to prevent their dogs from swimming, playing, or drinking near water that may contain alligators.

After the ordeal, everyone was a bit shaken up and Osi is a little sore, but otherwise doing great.

Trappers came out to the home the following day and removed the gator.