KTRK (Houston, Texas) 21 April 04 Dog rescues another dog from alligator attack (Jessica Willey)
Houston: You've heard the saying every dog has its day, and the dog in this story certainly had hers. She survived an alligator attack on Lake Houston, but that's not even the most interesting part.
The dog's owner used a piece of concrete to eventually scare the alligator away, but it was actually another dog that did most of the rescue work.
"She is very possessive and if it belongs to her, she doesn't want to let it go," dog owner Leslie Santiago described her pet.
Leslie is now grateful for that trait in her dog Sophie. Today she's a hero, and a beagle-dachshund mix is a survivor.
Little Bean carries the nasty wounds of an alligator attack -- deep gashes on the back of her neck, puncture wounds on the front.
Leslie admitted, "She's definitely not in the room when we eat dinner!"
It was Friday at a backyard boat ramp, where all Leslie could see was Bean's body. Her head was engulfed by the gator.
"I saw the gator," said Leslie. "He was chomping down."
And attached to one of Bean's short legs was Sophie.
"She stepped up to the plate, grabbed her by the back leg," recalled Leslie. "She knew she wasn't supposed to be there and knew that wasn't supposed to be there. She never let go."
And it wasn't until Leslie threw a 20 pound piece of concrete at the gator that Bean was free. Sophie dragged her to safety. Next came a trip to the vet.
Dr. Darren Knapp said, "She's lucky. She's lucky (the alligator) didn't have a meal that day."
Dr. Knapp has treated many ailments in his career but never an alligator bite. Unsure of the bacteria in a gator's mouth, he left Bean's wounds open. And Bean left with a nickname.
"All they have to say is gator dog and we know which one they're talking about," the doctor said.
For now Bean gets the sympathy. Sophie gets the glory. In a household with four dogs, Sophie is now top dog. The vet says little Bean should be just fine.
Not only is she proud of her pups, but Leslie also wanted to get her story out to warn others on the lake to beware of the alligators.
Dog rescues another dog from alligator attack