A DOG OWNER - SAVES HIS BEST FRIEND

Bonner Herring's morning ritual consisted of scanning the pond on his property in Southport, North Carolina, for an 8-foot-long alligator that had gotten into the habit of sunning itself on the shore before starting its day. If the coast was clear, Herring would let Strike, his 4-year-old black Labrador retriever, out to run around.

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But on June 16, 2025, Herring was distracted by garden work and forgot his usual check of the pond. Strike took off, running around without a care in the world, as dogs do.