Beloved Florida Python‑Hunting Dog Otto Killed in Tragic Road Accident

Image via Facebook

A famed Florida python-hunting dog has tragically died after getting in a hunting accident. The pooch rose to fame for its uncanny ability to track down pythons in the state.

Speaking with the Miami Herald, owner Mike Kimmel of The Python Cowboy confirmed the dog died. His pooch Otto died after a car struck him on July 5. The dog had been chasing after an iguana at the time.

"It just doesn't seem real," Kimmel said in a video posted July 10 on social media. "It's crazy. It's so much different than losing, like, a human loved one or something like that. ... It seems like it hurts worse. I think maybe because I feel responsible for him and everything that happens with him. It's hard not to blame ourselves and think of all the stuff we should have done different."

Otto was a valued member of The Python Cowboy. He had been on the hunt for iguanas at the time of his death. For the past five years, the dog has starred in the outfit's various social media videos. The dog was fearless in its pursuit of pythons and iguanas in the region.

"Otto was so much more than just a dog to us. I feel blessed to have known and owned a dog as special as Otto," Kimmel says in the video. "He was a co-worker, best friend, business partner, my right hand and backup plan. Some of the situations me and him have been through would turn strangers into brothers. We spent so much time together, I feel like we started to act and even look like each other."

Following the passing of the dog, several people shared tributes.

"Otto spent more time in the outdoors than most men ever will, and made more of an impact than most men ever will. He will forever be a legend in the industry," Florida Outdoor Expo said in a social media post.

"They lost a warrior and one hell of a hunting dog! He's responsible for removing so many pythons and iguanas from the Everglades! He was absolutely one of a kind," professional hunter and TV personality Ashley Dead Eye Jones wrote on Facebook.

"It's a sad day in the dog world! ... Otto is a true legend," Jupiter German Shorthaired Pointers said.

You Might Also Like