A large crocodile was seen swimming with a dog in its jaws in Florida, leaving residents shocked and saddened.
Local resident Zack Spurlock, who captured footage of the scene, told local outlet WESH that witnessing the event was “just heartbreaking.”
“I’m a dog owner. I know they’re part of the family, and I couldn’t help but have my heart go out to them that their worst fear had come true,” Spurlock said.
He explained that he rushed to the area after receiving a message from a friend who was out walking with their baby in a stroller. “Ten feet away is this 11-foot crocodile swimming with a Golden Retriever-type breed in its mouth,” he recalled. “At that point I couldn’t help but go there.”
According to WESH, the crocodile was seen on Monday carrying the dog’s body through the water near several homes and close to an elementary school.
Officials with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) told CBS News Miami that the crocodile was captured and removed from the canal in South Patrick Shores, with assistance from fire personnel.
Spurlock said he had recorded the same crocodile three weeks earlier and had seen it multiple times over the past three years. “We’ve seen the crocodile get relocated three to four times, and each time it makes its way back. It really likes that canal,” he explained.
The FWC noted that this animal was the only confirmed American crocodile documented in the area since 2018, according to CBS News Miami. After reviewing the situation, the agency said the crocodile has now been placed into permanent captivity.
On its website, the FWC advises residents to avoid feeding crocodiles or alligators and to keep a safe distance if they spot one. “Swim only in designated swimming areas during daylight hours and keep pets on a leash and away from the water,” the agency warns.
