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Florida man fires at alligator attacking his dog
miamiherald ^ | 11.05.10

Posted on 11/05/2010 8:29:02 AM PDT by JoeProBono

TAMPA, Fla. -- A Florida man shot at an alligator to free his dog from its jaws.

Tom Martino says he and his Jack Russell terrier Lizabeth were walking along the Hillsborough River in Tampa on Thursday when the alligator wrestled the 15-pound dog into the water.

Martino started shooting into the water around the alligator to scare it into releasing the 9-year-old dog. He performed CPR on the dog until it coughed up water and started breathing again.

Lizabeth is now being treated for alligator bits and lung injuries from being underwater.

A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission trapper captured the 5- to 6-foot alligator Thursday night.

Martino has a concealed weapons permit.


TOPICS: Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: alligator; banglist; concealedweapons; dog; florida
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Lizabeth, a 9 year-old Jack Russell terrier, is in critical but stable condition


1 posted on 11/05/2010 8:29:04 AM PDT by JoeProBono
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To: JoeProBono

Hillsborough river is full of gators..I kayak there often, and they’re all over the place..Silly to walk a small dog, or a small child... close to the river...


2 posted on 11/05/2010 8:30:54 AM PDT by ken5050 (I don't need sex.....the government screws me every day..)
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To: JoeProBono
Alligator bits...

3 posted on 11/05/2010 8:32:02 AM PDT by evets (beer)
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To: JoeProBono

Yay Tom Martino!


4 posted on 11/05/2010 8:35:27 AM PDT by Salamander (Can't sleep......the clowns will eat me.)
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To: evets

Alligator Bites


5 posted on 11/05/2010 8:39:08 AM PDT by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet - Visualize)
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To: JoeProBono

I would have killed that lizard


6 posted on 11/05/2010 8:40:54 AM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously... You'll never live through it.)
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To: ken5050

Resting on the Hillsborough River


7 posted on 11/05/2010 8:41:51 AM PDT by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet - Visualize)
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To: Vendome
It boggles me that Southrons continualy tolerate gators and the threat they pose to humans and their property (pets, children, et al).

In my mind they are a major nuisance just like wolves up in Montana and should be extincted; the difference being gators are semi-edible. Don't they taste kinda like catfish, meaning don't they taste kinda like dirt?

8 posted on 11/05/2010 8:51:02 AM PDT by I Buried My Guns (Novare Res!)
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To: I Buried My Guns
Don't they taste kinda like catfish, meaning don't they taste kinda like dirt?

Gator tasted like chicken to me. Not 'fishy' at all. It was pretty good, IMHO.

9 posted on 11/05/2010 8:54:25 AM PDT by Ditto (Nov 2, 2010 -- Time to Clean House.)
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To: JoeProBono
Here's one from my part of town (near Fort Hood, Texas):
Yes, that's right, CENTRAL TEXAS!

Fishermen spots alligator on Lampasas River near lake

10 posted on 11/05/2010 8:54:51 AM PDT by evets (beer)
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To: ken5050
Hillsborough river is full of gators..I kayak there often, and they’re all over the place..Silly to walk a small dog, or a small child... close to the river...

I think kayaking there is pretty darn sil - oh nevermind.

11 posted on 11/05/2010 8:55:12 AM PDT by nomodem
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To: Ditto
Gators is practically chickens...and I cants stands to see a chickens cry!
12 posted on 11/05/2010 8:56:10 AM PDT by allmendream (Income is EARNED not distributed. So how could it be re-distributed?)
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To: I Buried My Guns

They taste like whatever fried meat tastes like.

I would still shoot the gator, skin him and grill him.


13 posted on 11/05/2010 8:57:47 AM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously... You'll never live through it.)
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To: I Buried My Guns

It’s against the law to shoot alligators most of the year. Our problem is northerners feeding them ... takes away their fear and makes them more likely to attack. That said, it’s never a good idea to walk a dog or small child near gator infested waters ... too tempting.


14 posted on 11/05/2010 8:57:52 AM PDT by GOPJ ('Power abdicates only under the stress of counter-power." Martin Buber /a Tea-nami's coming..)
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To: Ditto

In the kitchen making gumbo with gator meat


15 posted on 11/05/2010 8:59:30 AM PDT by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet - Visualize)
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To: JoeProBono
Good!

My mom & a tenant with gator caught in our lake. It had killed the fellow's puppy. We gave it to a F&W guy.

16 posted on 11/05/2010 9:04:55 AM PDT by Alice in Wonderland
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To: allmendream
...and I cants stands to see a chickens cry!

Is that anything like Crocodile Tears?

17 posted on 11/05/2010 9:05:57 AM PDT by Ditto (Nov 2, 2010 -- Time to Clean House.)
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To: I Buried My Guns

I always thought it tasted kinda like swamp chicken...


18 posted on 11/05/2010 9:08:47 AM PDT by stefanbatory (Insert witty tagline here)
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To: JoeProBono

Thanks to the environmental whack-job left, Floridians are up to their rear ends in friggin’ alligators. Good for this fella and here’s hoping his pup gets better.


19 posted on 11/05/2010 9:12:31 AM PDT by Oldpuppymax
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To: ken5050

“Hillsborough river is full of gators..I kayak there often, and they’re all over the place..Silly to walk a small dog, or a small child... close to the river...”

Silly to walk near the river, but it makes sense to kayak IN the river??


20 posted on 11/05/2010 9:15:55 AM PDT by devere
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