Dog Saved By Alligator In Viral Video Has ‘New Leash On Life’ Says Owner

Richard Wilbanks, a Florida man who saved his three-month-old puppy from an alligator attack, confirmed that his dog is happily recovering after the incident.

After the gator pulled the dog underwater, Wilbanks rushed the canine to the hospital and learned that his pup only suffered minor injuries.

Gunner, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, is recovering from a puncture wound however, X-rays revealed that the pup had no internal injuries, Yahoo reported. During the incident Gunner had water enter his lungs, but he’s expected to make a full recovery.

Gunner spent a couple of days in the hospital, but after being released, he resumed his normal puppy duties of greeting guests at the door with high intense energy.

In a statement, Wilbanks told the press the Gunner has “a new leash on life.”

Meredith Budd, a Florida Wildlife Federation representative in Southwest Florida, was thankful that no one in the incident got injured.

“Humans and wildlife, we both inherently share the same landscape, and homeowners who live in and around nature should understand the value of wildlife around them,” Budd said. “While this video was shocking and I’m glad everyone was OK, I’m glad it’s a learning opportunity for the importance of respecting wildlife and taking precautions to make sure this doesn’t happen to anyone else.”

While recounting the moment, Wilbanks said, “We were only about 3 feet away from it, but it struck like a snake. It had Gunner in a vise grip and I just rushed in.”

Wilbanks was also lucky to endure only minor injuries during the incident. The Estero resident received a tetanus shot and had minor injuries to his hands, CNN reported.

However, Wilbanks was just relieved that he was able to stop the attack. “Fortunately, I was in a position that I was able to save Gunner’s life,” he said.