Man attacked and dragged to pond by 11ft alligator survives thanks to neighbor's quick thinking
To some, being a good neighbor means lending your vacuum because theirs is broken, but one Floridian took this to a whole new level.
Walter Rudder was driving into his neighborhood on Friday (April 19) when he saw his neighbor, Rick Fingeret, in despair.
Fingeret was out walking his two dogs down by the lake on Quarry Drive, Collier County, when he was suddenly attacked by an animal that had emerged from the water.
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While being ambushed by any creature would be of great concern, Fingeret's situation was especially dangerous as the predator that attacked him was an 11-foot-long alligator.
Rudder noticed that the alligator had Fingeret by the leg and showed no sign of letting go.
“We saw a man lying on the ground, waving his arms. We pulled over, and I got out of the car and saw that an alligator had him by the leg,” he told NBC-2 in Florida.
“It was dragging him into the pond.”
Luckily, Rudder responded quickly to the situation, running over the alligator in an attempt to free his wounded neighbor from the animal.
This caused the gator to release Fingeret from its clutches and return to the lake.
Rudder told Wink News: “We backed the car out, and I drove over the alligator. It got loose, let go of the leg and ran off towards the pond. Then Paula [his wife], she called 911.
"I got out of the car and I took my shirt off and wrapped it around his wound, which was near his thigh. The second wound was the calf area."
The alligator was later removed from the area by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission while Fingeret was escorted to a nearby hospital to treat his injuries.
Neither of the dogs were harmed during this scary altercation, though Rudder recalled that they both stayed by his neighbor's side during the terrifying attack.
This incident comes as alligator mating season arrives in Florida, making the reptiles far more aggressive than usual.
In an Instagram post on Tuesday (April 23), the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission advised the public to view wildlife from a distance.
The organization explained: "Resist the urge to test your sprinting skills against wildlife. Whether it's an alligator, hog, or a particularly intimidating squirrel, remember: they've been training for this their whole lives. You have not.
"In general, if an animal is reacting to your presence, it's a sure sign you're too close. Has the animal stopped feeding? Is it looking at you? Does it appear aggressive or skittish? Did the animal begin to move away or fly into the air? These actions all indicate disturbance.
"And in the scenario that wildlife does approach you first, know that it’s not a sign of newfound friendship. It's more like a subtle hint to take a step (or several) back. Animals have their own version of a comfort zone, and maintaining a respectful distance is key to both your safety and the well-being of any other animals involved."
Dylan Murray