A Horry County family is calling for action after an alligator killed its bulldog in a neighborhood that has already been the site of a deadly attack.
They say the threat may remain for neighbors and worry children, pets, and other residents could face another encounter.
Here's what to know
Madeline Raynor, a resident of the Myrtle Beach Golf & Yacht Club in the Burgess community, said she was outside with Maggie, the family's bulldog, and her two young children on July 29 when the alligator attacked.
According to WMBF, Raynor said, "I looked away for one second. I heard a horrible noise and an alligator had come through the bushes and attacked Maggie ... and was pulling her to the water."
She said she got her children back inside and chased after the alligator, but she was unable to save Maggie.
"I saw her and the alligator in the middle of the lake, and it was absolutely horrific," she said. "I then had to witness the gator swim around in the pond for two days with my dog in its mouth while there was nothing anybody could do to help me."
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After the attack, she contacted South Carolina's Department of Natural Resources. Raynor showed the station an email saying her homeowners association had received a nuisance permit, which means a licensed trapper could remove the alligator even though the HOA is not required to do so.
She said the HOA president told her the board would not contact DNR about removing the alligator. The president had originally floated the idea of a board vote on the issue, according to Raynor, before telling her husband no vote would take place.
More background
The Myrtle Beach Golf & Yacht Club is also the neighborhood where 75-year-old Michael Burstein was killed in a June 2022 alligator attack in the Excalaber Court section.
WMBF reported that, in Burstein's case, an SCDNR biologist and an alligator removal service contracted by the agency decided the alligator involved should be humanely euthanized at the scene. Raynor says that earlier attack is one reason neighbors believe the latest incident is not a one-off.
Her husband later found bits of food on Maggie's body once it was recovered, Raynor told WMBF, a detail she sees as a sign the alligator had grown used to being fed by people.
What's being done?
At the center of the dispute is the nuisance permit issued through South Carolina DNR. It gives a licensed trapper a way to remove the alligator, but Raynor says the HOA has chosen not to act on it.
"What is our HOA doing to prevent this from happening again?" she asked. "What are they doing to maintain the pond areas where these gators aren't coming into our backyards?"
Where can I learn more?
Similar wildlife run-ins in other neighborhoods have sparked the same worries about pets, public safety, and how quickly someone steps in. They also reflect a concern raised in Horry County: When animals get used to food or easy access near homes, the next encounter can turn dangerous.
• In Gwinnett County, Georgia, a rabid raccoon attack on a dog triggered neighborhood warnings.
• In Dallas, officials authorized lethal force against coyotes after alarming scenes in a neighborhood.
• In Indiana, neighbors warned that feeding deer nearby can keep wildlife close to homes.
Each case underscores how quickly wildlife problems in residential areas can escalate once animals stop fearing people. That helps explain why neighbors in this South Carolina community are pushing for prevention before another attack happens.
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