Florida Dog Dragged Into Pond by Alligator—and Lived to Tell the Tale

In Wesley Chapel, Florida, a German Shepherd named Zeus went outside like he always does—through the doggy door, investigating a noise near the backyard fence. Seconds later, an alligator broke straight through the wooden boards, clamped down on his head, and dragged him into the backyard pond.

“My dad came in frantic. I’d never seen him like that,” Zeus’s owner, Susan Alkhatib, told WFLA. “He said, ‘The alligator just took Zeus.’”

The family ran outside with flashlights and spotted their dog struggling in the water. “The alligator had just let go of Zeus,” Susan said. “We started yelling at him to come toward us. When he got closer, he got tired. So we had to kind of go into the pond a little bit to get him.” Her mom waded in and pulled Zeus to shore.

He was covered in blood. His jaw was fractured and out of place. There were deep puncture wounds around his neck. The vet later told the family that the gator had likely gotten Zeus’s entire head in its mouth—and had just barely missed hitting his jugular.

“I honestly can’t believe he is alive,” Susan said. “Even the vet said, ‘I don’t know how he survived.’”

Zeus underwent emergency surgery to realign and wire his jaw. He’s now on a liquid-only diet fed by syringe and has to wear a muzzle 24/7 for at least a month. Another surgery is planned in eight weeks to remove the wires and damaged teeth.

Earlier that same day, the family had filmed the gator lurking near the pond. And during a local news interview days later, it surfaced again—briefly—before vanishing back into the water. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has sent out trappers, but the gator remains uncaught.

“We’ve covered the doggy door,” Susan said. “We don’t feel safe anymore.”

Zeus, meanwhile, is still healing—but the road hasn’t been easy. According to the family’s latest update, he’s now developing a skin infection and remains on antibiotics. The muzzle, which he needs to keep his jaw in place, has been driving him crazy—he’s scratched his nose trying to get it off. His anxiety has worsened since the attack, so the family has started him on medication to help him cope.

“Despite it all, Zeus continues to be such a trooper,” they wrote in a GoFundMe update. “He’s getting tons of love, snuggles, and care.”

This never should have happened. Our hearts break for Zeus and the family who had to watch it unfold. But what’s come out of it—the fight, the love, the support from complete strangers—is powerful. He’s still here. Still recovering. And still holding on like the fighter he is.