Video shows Florida man rescuing his dog from an alligator’s mouth

A Florida man jumped into a pond after his dog was grabbed by a small alligator. The man wrestled his dog free from the gator’s mouth and managed to keep his cigar in his mouth the whole time.

The dramatic rescue took place in Estero, Florida and was captured on a wildlife camera owned by the Florida Wildlife Federation, WINK News reported.

Richard Wilbanks told local news stations that his instincts and adrenaline kicked in when the gator grabbed his dog, Gunner.

“We encourage everyone to take precautionary measures, particularly those who live or recreate near the water. Dogs and cats are similar in size to the natural prey of alligators,” the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said in a statement.