The old story of David versus Goliath seemed to come to life in Florida when Zoey, a tiny Yorkshire terrier weighing just nine pounds, escaped alive from the jaws of an alligator that attacked her near her family's home.
The attack occurred in Englewood, near Sarasota, according to reports from WSVN 7News and the local outlet SWFL.io. Zoey, a six-year-old, had wandered away from her owner, Alice Trowbridge, for a few moments and walked through the backyard to a wall by the water.
The family suddenly heard the puppy's cries, but initially, they couldn't see her. Laura Dujmovich, Trowbridge's daughter, ran toward the wall after noticing movement thanks to the light coming from a neighboring house.
Zoey was lying by the water, covered in blood and seriously injured, although she was still breathing. The alligator had already disappeared by the time the family reached her.
I thought I was about to lose my puppy and that I was truly in a race to save her life," Trowbridge said.
The neighbors went outside upon hearing the screams, but the family had already placed Zoey in a vehicle and was rushing to the veterinary hospital.
A surveillance camera captured the family's desperate departure: it first showed Trowbridge walking out of the house, and minutes later, the vehicle quickly leaving the property heading to the medical center.
Reports agree that Zoey suffered the collapse of both lungs and numerous punctures in her small body, in addition to several broken ribs.
The injuries forced the veterinarians to reconstruct her rib cage during a complex operation. The hospital estimated that the yorkie had only a 50% chance of survival, but Zoey endured the surgery and managed to return home with her family.
"Everyone was surprised by how strong and resilient he is," Dujmovich said. The recovery will still be lengthy: doctors estimate that the ribs will take between six and eight weeks to heal.
Zoey holds a special place in the family. Trowbridge adopted her during the COVID-19 pandemic and affirms that the dog saved her life during a challenging time.
She also described her as a pet full of personality, fond of watching television and able to run from another room when she hears the jingle of one of her favorite commercials.
Now it's time for her to rest, regain strength, and gradually return to her usual barks. Her family summarizes it simply: Zoey may be very small, but she has already shown that she is also very powerful.
The story of this small yorkshire terrier is part of a list of pets that have survived dangerous encounters with alligators in Florida.
In September 2024, an 84-year-old woman and her dog Queen managed to escape an attack while walking near their home in Fort Myers Beach.
The elderly woman threw the animal into the air to drive it away from the reptile and then struck the caiman, although she suffered bites to her leg and hands.
Another rescue that seemed impossible took place in 2020, when Richard Wilbanks pulled his puppy Gunner from the jaws of a reptile that had surfaced from a pond in his backyard.
The dog received a stitch in its abdomen, while its owner ended up with wounds on his hands and had to get a tetanus shot.
However, not all of these encounters have ended happily. In July 2023, a nine-foot alligator attacked and killed a dog that was near a pond in Constitution Park in Deerfield Beach.
The reptile emerged from the water, snatched the pet, and swam away before being captured by a specialist.
A similar case occurred in 2017 near Newnans Lake in Gainesville, where an alligator dragged a dog named Beignet into the water while walking with a woman, her eight-year-old son, and another pet. The family tried to save him, but they could not prevent the fatal attack.
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