Florida retiree wrestles puppy from jaws of alligator

Newly released footage shows a Florida man rescuing his dog from the grasp of an alligator, an unexpected moment captured on film by a project created to monitor local wildlife.

Owner Richard Wilbanks says adrenaline and his instincts kicked in when the alligator grabbed his dog, Gunner, and dragged him into a pond, KMOV reported.

"We were just out walking by the pond", Wilbanks told CNN, "and it came out of the water like a missile".

Eventually, Gunner was able to runonto the grass to safety as his ownercontinued to wrestle the beast in the water.

CNN reports the dog had one puncture wound in his belly and is OK after a trip to the veterinarian's office. "It was so quick".

Wilbanks said that he understands the area is the alligator's home and that it was "just doing what a gator does to survive".

Willbanks said he managed to get out of the tussle with minor injuries.

The ordeal was captured on video as part of a partnership between the Florida Wildlife Federation and the fStop Foundation, two organizations dedicated to conserving habitat for wildlife through education and awareness.

Wilbanks said his hands were "chewed up", and he went to a doctor for a tetanus shot.

Wilbanks agrees with that mission and he doesn't want the alligator removed from the pond or destroyed.

"Wildlife is all around us and we are all a part of the same ecosystem", she said.

Gunner now takes walks on a leash and away from the water's edge. "Our pets, they're just like family to us", he said.