Two weeks ago, a puppy's rescue went viral after it was saved from jaws of an alligator in October. Now, he was a brand new job with a Florida sheriff's office.
ClickOrlando reported that 5-month-old Gunner is now a "deputy dog" with the Lee County Sheriff's Office. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel made headlines back in November when his owner, Richard Wilbanks, jumped into backyard waters to rescue Gunner from a gator.
Not only was the whole incident captured on camera, but it got thousands of shares on social media.
“I just jumped in the water and caught up with the alligator and got my hands on ‘em,” Wilbanks said in a video by the sheriff's office. “I just wasn’t going to let it have my puppy for breakfast.”
What will Gunner do with deputies? Educate children about safety, they said. "Gunner's tenacity and fight for survival proves he's the perfect candidate as the Safety and Security Officer for Deputy Dogs!" officials wrote in a Facebook post.
Wilbanks volunteered to have cameras set up in his backyard to observe wildlife. It was part of a project by the the Florida Wildlife Federation and the fStop Foundation. Gunner wasn't seriously hurt in the encounter, the pet owner told reporters.
“The alligator is still in the pond. It’s just fine. Gunner is fine, I’m fine and so am I,” Wilbanks said.
Photo: Getty Images