A massive crocodile was caught on camera swimming through a canal with a large dog clamped in its jaws near an elementary school and several homes in Florida, according to a report.
The terrifying scene was witnessed by Satellite Beach resident Zach Spurlock on Monday, who told KXII he’s captured the imposing croc on video on numerous occasions.
“It was just heartbreaking. I mean, I’m a dog owner. I know they’re part of the family, and so I couldn’t help but have my heart go out to them that their worst fear had come true,” Spurlock said.
“I got a text from a friend that was walking with their baby in a stroller, and 10 feet away is this 11-foot crocodile swimming with a Golden Retriever-type breed in it’s mouth. And so at that point I couldn’t help but go there,” he said.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission confirmed the incident to the outlet, saying the large reptile was wrangled from the water with the help of fire rescue as stunned neighbors looked on.
It is not immediately clear if the dog owner was identified and notified of the tragic incident.
The last time Spurlock filmed the beast was roughly three weeks ago, the outlet reported.
“I remember being 6 feet away from the thing, it’s on dry land and it just has its mouth open, sunning and it has zero fear of humans now. When I saw the behavior, I knew something bad was going to happen,” Spurlock said.
“We’ve seen the crocodile get relocated three to four times, and each time it makes its way back. It really likes that canal,” he continued.
The hulking snapper is the only confirmed American crocodile in the area since 2018, and has been placed into permanent captivity after careful consideration, the outlet said.
Wildlife experts warned residents that pets and children should always be kept away from the water’s edge.
The post Crocodile caught on camera with large dog clamped in its jaws: ‘Just heartbreaking’ appeared first on New York Post.
