Florida woman? A Rottweiler named “Maximus?” Hungry, aggressive alligator? This story simply has it all.
Gwen Cash was just trying to take her dog Maximus for a walk on New Year’s Eve when she instead found herself wrestling with a big ol’ angry alligator. The South Florida resident has always enjoyed living near the Everglades so that she can enjoy the wildlife, but she’d rather appreciate the wildlife from a distance.
This reptile encounter was obviously a little too close for comfort, and Cash explained to WSVN how the scary incident went down shortly after she went out for a walk with her dog:
“Within five minutes, we weren’t here that long, and he was right there, I go, ‘Wow,’ I scan the whole lake and that quick, he was right there.
He kind of turned like as if he was going for my dog’s throat. I tried putting my arm around my dog’s chest and that’s how I got scratched. I’m glad he didn’t close his mouth.”
Gwen Cash acted fast, and her quick reaction time likely saved her dog’s life (though with a name like Maximus, the Rottweiler should be able to take care of itself, right?)
She didn’t come out unscathed though. Cash suffered some lacerations and cuts on the arm that she used to shield her dog, but other than that, Gwen made it out alright.
The Florida woman wasn’t concerned about herself as much as she was about the residents that lived in her area around Holly Lake, where the alligator attack took place.
She has since contacted a trapper to come and remove the alligator from the premises, and suspects that it had become so aggressive because someone in the area had fed the reptile:
“When you start feeding them, they look at you and they think of food and that’s the only thing I can think of as to why he came straight up.
Either that or he wants to get my dog. Hey, if not my dog, someone’s little kid could be playing.”
Shoutout to Gwen Cash for seemingly taking care of business in every aspect of her life. Gator attack? She can handle that. Gator removal? She’ll make a phone call.
The Holly Lake neighborhood is lucky to have her, and Maximus the Rottweiler should be counting his blessing that Gwen Cash is his owner. You can view the local news story about the incident below:
