Florida police dog killed by 10-foot alligator

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Beyond Belief said:
BAYOU GEORGE, Fla. - A 10-foot alligator attacked and killed a 5-year-old bloodhound used as a tracker by the Bay County Sheriff's Office.
Investigator Doug Pierce's wife had taken Datsi and the family's two other dogs for a run on Monday when Datsi jumped into a lake to cool
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2008/jun/27/florida-police-dog-killed-10-foot-alligator/
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This is going to be the fate of my dog one day as well. He will NOT stay out of the water when we go hiking. Dogs LOVE water and Gators LOVE dogs.

I wonder why the killed the gator. Seems like if you tossed a chocolate cheesecake at me in my own home, I ought to be allowed to eat it. That's basically what happened here. Gators think "Food" and "Not Food." They really don't have the capacity to stop and ask if it's a police dog that is just cooling off, or lunch.
 
Awwww, that is sad, but GlitchWizard has a point... it didn't seek out the dog.
 
mrsjonnob said:
Awwww, that is sad, but GlitchWizard has a point... it didn't seek out the dog.
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Glitch: Gotta disagree on this one. At the lowest function, the killing's Darwinian: Try to stamp out gators that eat dogs and thus their potential, genetically inclined to dog-eat, offspring. The gator may have done most of its procreation (not familiar with gator reproductive ages) and the killing may have little effect on progeny, but also takes the muncher out of the picture: one less to kill our dogs. I loathe beyond reason anything that kills dogs not attacking it, and that includes humans.

C6
 
Hmmm...but aren't all gators inclined to snap and eat whatever comes spashing around their home at lunchtime, not just the ones who's parents have previously eaten a dog? I would think that eating any big splashing critter is instinctive, not learned, for an alligator.

It is sad that a friendly, popular dog who was loved by the community was killed, but the gator wasn't doing anything bad. Wasn't it just doing what gators do...having lunch? I don't follow the rationale of killing the gator in this instance, either. Was is that they think it will attack more dogs now that it has tasted one? I suppose that makes sense. After all, dogs are not native to the swamps, and would not be in the natural food chain for a gator.

Chocolate cheesecake...now there's an excellent idea! If you get too many at your house, Glitch, send some our way!
 
crypto6 said:
Glitch: Gotta disagree on this one. At the lowest function, the killing's Darwinian: Try to stamp out gators that eat dogs and thus their potential, genetically inclined to dog-eat, offspring. The gator may have done most of its procreation (not familiar with gator reproductive ages) and the killing may have little effect on progeny, but also takes the muncher out of the picture: one less to kill our dogs. I loathe beyond reason anything that kills dogs not attacking it, and that includes humans.

C6
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You're not going to find a gator that will turn it's nose up at a dog. It's like chocolate to a gator. They don't worry about favorite foods when it comes to type of fish, but they'll go out of their way for a dog. That's why when you rent kayaks, they'll tell you straight out not to take a dog with you. The same when you hike certain trails, like Tate's Hell here in Florida, the rangers will tell you "don't take a dog" if there's water on the trail. Gators can be ANYWHERE in Florida, not just around water - but the chances are greater when the dog or child jumps into the water where there's a gator waiting.

We kayak, hike and camp most weekends, and I get my information from the rangers. I love Darwin, but I don't think it can be manufactured by humans in this situation.
 
GlitchWizard said:
You're not going to find a gator that will turn it's nose up at a dog. It's like chocolate to a gator. They don't worry about favorite foods when it comes to type of fish, but they'll go out of their way for a dog. That's why when you rent kayaks, they'll tell you straight out not to take a dog with you. The same when you hike certain trails, like Tate's Hell here in Florida, the rangers will tell you "don't take a dog" if there's water on the trail. Gators can be ANYWHERE in Florida, not just around water - but the chances are greater when the dog or child jumps into the water where there's a gator waiting.

We kayak, hike and camp most weekends, and I get my information from the rangers. I love Darwin, but I don't think it can be manufactured by humans in this situation.
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Sure it can; we've wiped out many species, including the dodo, Carolina parakeet, passenger pigeon, and probably the ivory-billed woodpecker. Nasty
ole dog-eatin gators certainly deserve to be on the list.....

C6
 
Poor Datsi. What a loss. I am only hoping it was quick. I feel sad for the gator too. Poor creature was only trying to eat to live. It did not have the brain capacity to know that Datsi was a loved animal and worked with police to keep the community safe. This was a double tragedy.
 
As Glitch pointed out, gators love dogs. Thats why dogs should be on a leash when they are going to be around water in Fla. especially in the summer when Gators are moving about more.
 
Yet, another reason why I would not have a "happy" vacation in Florida.

Spiders, snakes and gators, no thanks.......
 
crypto6 said:
Sure it can; we've wiped out many species, including the dodo, Carolina parakeet, passenger pigeon, and probably the ivory-billed woodpecker. Nasty
ole dog-eatin gators certainly deserve to be on the list.....

C6
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I know you're not actually advocating wiping out alligators/crocodiles from this planet, are you?
 
Beyond Belief said:
I have lived in Fl 40 years, I only see gators at Gator Land. LOL:)
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I'm taking it you aren't the outdoorsy type, are you? :)

Yes, you're safe from gators, generally, unless you play in their backyard. I tend to play in their backyard and take the dog with me. I figure... if they're busy doing the death roll with the dog.... I can RUN! :)

Don't get me wrong, I love my dog and I have learned to keep him leashed, as he likes to go straight for the water!

Without a dog around, though, people have little to fear from gators. I've seen them on boardwalks blocking the path and all you have to do is push around them. As long as you don't freak them out or feed them, they're alright.
 
CyberLaw said:
Yet, another reason why I would not have a "happy" vacation in Florida.

Spiders, snakes and gators, no thanks.......
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I've lived in FL since the early 70's and have never had a bad encounter w/ gators and have always lived on lakes. I also would never let my dog swim in a lake around here. The most gators I've ever seen in the wild were camping in the everglades.
 
kahskye said:
I've lived in FL since the early 70's and have never had a bad encounter w/ gators and have always lived on lakes. I also would never let my dog swim in a lake around here. The most gators I've ever seen in the wild were camping in the everglades.
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That's actually a dream vacation of mine! Well, that, and kayaking down there without dying. I'm SO jealous!
 
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