A 9-year-old dog was attacked and killed by a 6-foot-long alligator after the dog got loose from his Florida home, MyFoxTampa.com reports.
A resident found the body of the dog -- a boxer named "Gage" -- in a retention pond across the street from the Palm Harbor home he shared with his owner.
Jeanine Oliver said she was walking her own dog Monday -- two days after Gage disappeared -- when she spotted him in the pond.
"I was totally shocked, totally shocked and surprised he was in the pond," she told the station.
She said her attention was drawn to the pond by a large splash.
"I see a very large alligator head with his mouth open, sadly, about that big," she said, holding her hands more than a foot apart.
Florida Fish and Wildlife officers are warning residents to be especially aware of alligators this spring, when the giant reptiles are especially active looking for mates and food.
"You really want to keep an eye out for alligators in your neighborhood," Capt. Roger Young of the FWC's Tampa office said.
Young suggested keeping pets and small children away from the banks of streams and ponds, particularly in the early morning and evening when alligators usually feed.
Click here to read more on the alligator attack in Palm Harbor from MyFoxTampaBay.com
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