CANINE SHARK BAIT

If you ever wanted proof of man’s love for his canine companion, look no further than Greg LeNoir, a 53 year old carpenter from Islamorada, FL, a tiny village in the upper Keys. Last Friday, LeNoir took his 14 lb Toy Fox Terrier, Jake, for his daily swim at the Islamorada Marina. Soon after Jake jumped into the water, he was seized by a five foot long shark.

Jake and his owner, Greg LeNoir

The Miami Herald reports that LeNoir said, ''I clenched my fists and dove straight in with all my strength, like a battering ram, I hit the back of the shark's neck. It was like hitting concrete.'' Thankfully, the shark released Jake, who beat a hasty retreat to shore, closely followed by his owner.



Just two days later, on Sunday, a surfer was bitten in New Smyrna Beach. He was the 23rd bite victim of the year off the coast of Volusia County, FL, setting a record for that area. According to the University of Florida, nearly half of the world’s shark attacks occur in Florida and two thirds of Florida’s attacks occur in Volusia County. I know people that would walk away from a Las Vegas casino if the odds were that great against them.

Bull Shark

Oh, and did I mention that Florida has alligators too? According to the Florida Museum of Natural History, an alligator attack is three times more likely to be fatal than a shark attack. People, keep your dog on a leash.

American Alligator