When former Army Sergeant Trent Tweddale took his dog Loki for a walk one day, he had no idea that he would soon be engaged in a battle for his dog’s life.

It was like any other typical day in West Chapel, Florida, where the two live with their family, though recent rain had made the water levels a little higher than usual. What followed showed just how much Tweddale loves Loki and would do anything for him.

Loki is attacked by an alligator

As they walked near an area flooded by the rain, Loki made the mistake of getting a little too close to the water. Before Tweddale and Loki could react, a 13-foot alligator jumped out of the water and grabbed the dog by the leg.

Tweddale, a former army staff sergeant, instinctively sprang into action.

Pulling on Loki’s collar, Tweddale tried to wrest him out of the alligator’s grasp. When that didn’t work, Tweddale jumped in the water and started punching the alligator as hard as he could.

“I grabbed the dog’s collar to try to pull him back, and I ended up in a tug-of-war match with this gator, and the gator was not letting go,” Tweddale told WFLA. “So, I let go of the collar, and I got about knee-deep into the water and started pounding on the gator’s head until he eventually let go.”

Tweddale saved Loki

Once Loki was free, Tweddale still had to get the dog to the animal hospital. The dog was in critical condition. And while Tweddale only suffered minor scratches, Loki’s front leg was almost entirely severed.

At the hospital, Loki received emergency surgery and his leg was saved.

Saving Loki’s leg

Loki had to have metal plates and screws put in his leg to ensure that it grows properly, but he should be able to make a full recovery. As for Tweddale, he is still looking for revenge against the gator who attacked his companion. He is currently trying to find the large alligator to prevent any future attacks.

“The trapper did not have any bait, so I grabbed one of my roosters and we used him as bait for the trap. We haven’t had any luck yet,” Tweddale said. “We love our dog a lot, and I’d fight tooth and nail for him.”

Tweddale loves his dog

And while many dog owners love their pets and would do just about anything for them, fighting an alligator is probably not high on the list for many. Because of Tweddale’s quick thinking, Loki was saved and hopefully has a long life ahead of him.

The same can’t be said for the gator. With Tweddale on the lookout for him, it seems his days are numbered.

For more on this crazy story, check out the video below.

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Source: WFLA News Channel 8

H/T: I Heart Dogs, WFLA