Some call it heroic, others a little crazy. But for Steve Gustafson, it was the only option

Some call it heroic, others a little crazy. But for Steve Gustafson, it was the only option. The Central Florida man made a daring rescue after his dog was attacked by a seven-foot alligator. (CNN/WKMG)

  • Must See Video
Engulfed railroad bridge crashes to the ground
Engulfed bridge crashes to the ground

A railroad bridge on the northern edge of the Hill Country came…

Dramatic video of massive OK tornado
Dramatic video of massive OK tornado

Here's some dramatic video of the massive tornado that ravaged …

Video: Witnesses reflect on OKC tornado
Video: Witnesses reflect on OKC tornado

Witnesses give a first-hand account of the tornado that ripped …

Ducklings saved with cell phone app
Ducklings saved with cell phone app

A cell phone app is credited for saving two ducklings. The baby…

Woman takes on bear, saves husband
Woman takes on bear, saves husband

A Wisconsin man is recovering after being attacked by a black …

Advertisement

Owner saves dog from 7-foot gator

Updated: Thursday, 20 Sep 2012, 10:17 AM CDT
Published : Thursday, 20 Sep 2012, 10:17 AM CDT

SUMTER COUNTY, Fla. (CNN/WKMG) - Some call it heroic, others a little crazy. But for Steve Gustafson, it was the only option.

"What choice did I have? That's my best friend... I didn't think. You just react," said Gustafson.

The Central Florida man made a daring rescue after his dog was attacked by a seven-foot alligator.

"I mean it's a big mouth and I just thought uh-oh," said Gustafson.

Gustafson was trimming his oak tree on Friday when his dog "Bounce" got a little too close to the water.

"There goes my dog... all I see is tail of the gator," he recalled.

Gustafson jumped in, belly flopping on top of the gator. Gustafson grabbed hold of its back leg and the gator whipped around and snapped at his hand.

"I grabbed his nose and pinned it to the bottom of the pond," Gustafson recalled.

Gustafson and Bounce were able to get away safely. The gator was trapped and killed two days later by a Florida Fish and Wildfire officer.


Opinions that are derogatory, attack other users or are offensive in nature may be removed. KXAN is not responsible for the content posted in this comment section. We reserve the right to remove any offensive or off-topic remark or thread. To mark a comment for review by a moderator, click "Report Abuse."

 

comments powered by Disqus

Advertisement
Advertisement

Site Tools

Advertisement