Laura Dujmovich, who calls Englewood home, never imagined she’d be rushing her tiny Yorkie, Zoey, to save her life after an alligator attack.
Little Zoey, at just nine pounds, ended up with four broken ribs and both her lungs collapsed, a nightmare scenario for any pet owner.
She pulled through those first critical hours at the vet, but healing is not just about stitches and medicine.
Zoey isn’t just a dog; she’s family. She’s been the steady thread holding this household together. Laura says, “That’s my sister. She’s my best friend.”
And for Alice Trowbridge, who adopted Zoey during the bleak isolation of COVID. “She saved my life, really.” There’s more here than companionship; Zoey is comfort, she’s laughter, and she’s love in a nine-pound package.
The attack changed everything in an instant. They were only outside for a minute, enough time for disaster to strike. A sudden, gut-wrenching cry shattered the quiet, and Laura and her daughter bolted toward the sound, screaming Zoey’s name. They found her bloody, barely clinging to life on the seawall. The alligator had already slipped back into the canal.
At the ER, the outlook was grim: a 50/50 chance of survival. Alice and Laura both thought they had lost their precious dog. But Zoey fought. She hung on. After days of treatment and worry, Laura and Alice finally brought her home.
But Zoey’s not out of the woods yet. She startles easily, won’t go out at night without reassurance, and wrestles with obvious stress. Laura says, “She’s a little traumatized about going outside at night. I think she has PTSD. But we’re just taking it a day at a time.”
Taking care of her is full-time work. Keeping Zoey hydrated with ice chips, applying ice packs, heat compresses, and staying up in shifts to make sure she’s okay; Laura and her mother have their hands full. “It’s 24/7,” Laura says, “but we kind of knew what we were signing up for.” Through the exhaustion, there’s love and even flashes of playfulness from Zoey.
The vet bill: $15,000 and counting. Laura started a GoFundMe, hoping for a little help as they walk this long road, one tense day at a time. “We’re not doing it for the spotlight.”
They will donate any extra funds raised beyond their needs to the hospital that saved Zoey or to another family experiencing a similar crisis. “We’re not going to keep it. We’re going to donate it back.”
Both Lakewood Ranch and the first emergency veterinary clinic in Port Charlotte played a huge part in saving Zoey. Laura had tried to get to Lemon Bay Animal Hospital, but found it closed. Frantic, with Zoey bleeding out, she called 911, not a usual move, but it worked. Dispatch directed her to the right hospital in time.
Port Charlotte couldn’t handle the full extent of Zoey’s injuries, but they bought her precious time and got her stable enough for surgery. Laura recalls, “They said it was 50/50, and then it was a 50/50 chance if that hospital could save her. But once they stabilized her and let us go back there and see her, Zoe was hanging on. She was fighting.”
Zoey is a fighter and has more spunk in her than a prizefighter. When Laura found her after the attack, Zoey practically tried to lunge back for the gator. “She had a lot of fight left in her!” Laura says. That’s just the kind of dog she is: stubborn, fierce, loyal, and so full of heart.
It’s been a rough stretch, for sure. Florida’s seen a spike in alligator attacks lately: a swimmer killed, a snorkeler bitten, and now Zoey in Englewood.
The family’s message to others: don’t let your guard down. Laura says, “You can never be too careful.” They were right there, watching, but it still happened “in literally four minutes.” Things move fast. “I could sit here and think of what I could’ve done differently… I don’t know if it would’ve helped.”
You can’t be too careful around Florida’s wild side. Zoey’s fighting spirit is a reminder: love is stubborn, and with enough care, even the smallest dog can pull off a miraculous comeback.
If you encounter an alligator, call the FWC Nuisance Alligator Hotline at (866) 392-4286 or 911. It is best to call FWC in a non-emergency and 911 when there is active danger and an immediate threat.
Click here to go to Zoey’s GoFundMe page, “Help Zoey Recover After Alligator Attack.”
