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Our son lives in Florida and yes alligators will eat small dogs. We saw this happen and the gator was so fast it couldn't be stopped. If you move to SC or Florida I would not live near a pond or lake with small dogs.
SC's alligator hunting season draws people from all over the country. In the 2010 hunt a lady from Massachusetts caught a 13 ft 1025 lb gator in Lake Moultrie SC.
I have a small dog that I walk sometimes at night I live in a nice development with a pond down the street there was a six foot gator that was removed. It started comimg out the water near our strret I do not know what hey did with that thing. But I will shoot it if one gets to close to my home or pets
Not smart. Alligators are protected by federal law. If you're reported for feeding or harrassing one, let alone killing one, you are subject to a hefty fine or jail time. SC currently has a limited hunting season, but it is closely controlled with limited permits issued by lottery.
Nuisance alligators can be reported to the DNR at these numbers. Keep in mind that when you report one, you're issuing a death sentence for the gator. They are no longer relocated to other waters. The DNR contracts private individuals to capture nuisance gators. Their pay is DNR permission to "relocate" the gator to a processor for the meat and hide. Killing God's creatures is another part of what we call "progress" around here.
I lived in FL most of my life. An alligator eating a small dog happens about as much as people getting directly hit by lightning or bit by a shark, probably less. It happens, but it's very rare. My grandfather lived right on the marsh and the inter-coastal waterway and always had two dogs that roamed on his large property and never had an alligator attack his dogs, even though there were alligators in the marsh. If you're nervous, just make sure you're not letting your dog run around near water unattended, you shouldn't have any problems. It is a rare occurrence that is played up in the media.
As Pawleys Dude said, feeding an alligator is illegal and stupid.
It makes them lose their fear of people.
My old office was about 20 feet away from a fresh water marsh. Every time it rained in the summer, the gators (five of them) would crawl out of the marsh and sun themselves about five feet from my floor to ceiling office windows. Squirrels and raccoons would run right in front of them and birds would land on their backs and they would not move.
Herons will stand on their backs when they hunt fish.
For the most part Alligators are so full from fish that they don't want anything else to eat.
The gators in Florida are grossly overpopulated and only come out of the water when they cannot find anything in the water to eat.
That's quite impressive for a man of advanced age. But all those that have pets know that they are a family member, so i can see how an adrenaline rush can take over.
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Alligators are protected by federal law. If you're reported for feeding or harrassing one, let alone killing one, you are subject to a hefty fine or jail time. SC currently has a limited hunting season, but it is closely controlled with limited permits issued by lottery.
