“We live on a shared landscape,” explained Meredith Budd of the Florida Wildlife Federation. “We don’t just want to tolerate wildlife, but, rather, we want to thrive with wildlife on a shared landscape.”

Despite his dog’s near-death encounter with the alligator, Wilbanks supports the initiative and its mission, and he doesn’t want the alligator to be relocated or eradicated because they’re a part of nature and a part of people’s lives.

So now, whenever he takes Gunner out for a walk, he’s always on a leash and at least 10 feet away from the pond’s edge.