The bond between Richard Wilbanks and Gunner, his Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, was ultimately put to the test. During one of their morning hikes, Gunner was attacked by an alligator and was eventually trapped inside its jaw. Richard subsequently did his best to save his dear buddy.
Richard and Louise Wilbanks just recently welcomed their 3-month-old Gunner. Both Richard and Gunner were best buddies. They were inseparable.
Richard and Gunner regularly walked every morning on a beach or a pond. Although most of their morning walks went smoothly, one of their Sunday morning walks was highly tragic.
While Gunner was doing her morning walk, a 4-foot-long alligator was observing in a pond. After getting a chance at Gunner, the alligator instantly attacked the poor pup. Gunner was ultimately trapped in the gator’s jaw.
Right away, Richard plunged into the water to save his beloved dog. Richard sensed that the gator would drag down Gunner in just a few seconds. He would not allow such a thing to happen.
While in the pond, Richard attacked the alligator. He started to open the alligator’s mouth apart. The brawl between Richard and the alligator took 30 seconds.
Fortunately, Gunner was freed from the gator’s jaw and could run away. However, Richard’s hands were stuck in the alligator’s mouth. Fortunately, Richard was able to escape.
Thankfully, Gunner was just able to sustain minor abdominal wounds. Nevertheless, Richard brought him to the vet to ensure he was fine.
According to the local veterinary clinic, Gunner’s wounds were not severe. However, he was able to take in water. Thus, he stayed in the hospital for a few days.
Richard soon realized their close encounter with the alligator was caught on camera. Richard emphasized that the tragic incident gave him a lesson. Hopefully, all pet owners will learn something from this terrifying incident.
Here is the video of the close encounter between Richard, Gunner, and the alligator.
Video credit ABC7 News Bay Area via Youtube
