A huge alligator dragged a dog into a pond, but he miraculously survived (3 photos + 1 video)
A dog named Zeus called on the strength of his namesake to literally escape the jaws of death when an alligator dragged him into a pond. 
“The vet told us that the alligator missed Zeus’s jugular vein. It looked like his entire head was in the gator’s mouth. It’s a miracle that Zeus survived,” the family shared.
The vet was also surprised: “I don’t understand how he survived.”
On the night of June 2, German Shepherd Zeus heard a noise and ran out of her home in Wesley Chapel, Florida. A huge alligator came into the yard, grabbed the dog in an instant and dragged him into a pond.
"My dad was furious. I've never seen him like that. He told me that the alligator dragged Zeus away," recalls Susan Alkhatib, the dog's owner.
The family watched in horror as the pet struggled with the reptile holding his head in its mouth. Eventually, the dog broke free and the alligator swam away.
"We started calling for Zeus, he was swimming towards us, but he was exhausted. We had to go a little bit into the water to pull him out."
Susan's mom picked up the injured pet and immediately took him to the veterinary clinic for emergency surgery.
Alkhatib said they no longer feel safe in their home after the attack.
"We have a special dog door that Zeus can come and go through," she said. "We had to close it because of the recent incident."
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission sent trappers out to search for the alligator, but for now the alligator remains at large.
Meanwhile, Zeus is slowly but surely recovering. He suffered a broken jaw and puncture wounds. A vet manually reset his jaw and wired it back together. Until his next surgery, scheduled in 8 weeks, the dog is on a liquid diet, fed via a syringe. He will also have to wear a muzzle for a month.
"Zeus remains brave despite all the difficulties. He is surrounded by love, care and attention," the family added.
