Tampa Woman Rescues Dog From Gator’s Jaws During Morning Walk

In a split-second battle, a Tampa teacher pried open a massive gator's jaws to save her dog at Westwood Lakes. The 6-foot-6-inch beast struck without warning. State wildlife officials later sent a trapper to find the reptile.

Wildlife officials stress key safety rules near water: keep dogs on leashes, avoid water edges, and swim only in marked zones. Anyone who spots dangerous gator activity should call 866-FWC-GATOR right away.

Spencer's message rings clear and sharp: "They need to know to stay away. Don't go near them, don't feed them."

"It had its mouth open ... it clamped down on her and it got her ... so I jumped on its back and pried its jaws open," said Kimberly Spencer reported by Bay News 9.

The attack came as Spencer walked Kona, her eight-year-old lab mix, near a pond. "I saw the eyes. I saw it turning itself around towards us, and I started pulling Kona away, saying, 'Let's go.' But she's a really strong dog," Spencer told Fox 13 News.

The fight left Spencer's hands torn and bleeding, needing stitches. Her brave pup Kona needed medical care for deep shoulder wounds.

Raw instinct took over when Spencer acted. "I wasn't letting it take my baby, that's it. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if something happened to her on my time."

The gator vanished into murky waters after the struggle. Now Spencer sticks to fenced areas in her Hillsborough County neighborhood for walks.