Alligator Bites Off Part of Man’s Leg in Florida After He Mistook It for Dog

A man in Florida had part of his leg bitten off by an angry alligator after the person mistook it for a dog, cops said, according to the New York Post.

The incident occurred outside the Warm Mineral Springs Motel in North Port, Florida, around 12:30 a.m. Tuesday. The man saw something moving in the bushes, thinking it was a dog, but when he approached it, it turned out to be a gator, according to reports.

“He stated the figure appeared to look like a dog with a long leash, which is why he wasn’t hesitant to move out of the way,” a spokesperson for the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.

The alligator bit the man’s right leg, tearing off a large chunk of his muscle tissue, according to the sheriff’s office, Metro reported.

An officer in the area who was responding to a separate call was able to get the man help and paramedics brought the victim to an area hospital to be treated for his injuries, Metro reported.

Another officer was able to capture the alligator before an expert trapper arrived to remove the reptile from the area, Metro reported.

“The victim has been released from the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery,” police said.

The alligator was said to be about 7 feet long, according to The Guardian.

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