Crocodile attack on dog at Darwin's Lee Point beach prompts safety warning

On a Tuesday at Lee Point beach near Darwin, a two-metre saltwater crocodile attacked Teddy, a three-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, pulling the dog from the shallow water and tossing it back. Owner Saphirah Gilboy saw the croc’s tail and head emerge, immediately jumped in and, with help from a passer-by who was a vet nurse, retrieved the injured pet. Teddy spent a night at the veterinary clinic, where bite marks on his face and throat were treated and he began wagging his tail again.

NT Parks and Wildlife director Sam Hyson said crocodiles regularly move onto city beaches and emphasized that no waterway in the Top End is safe, urging people to stay at least five metres from the water’s edge with pets and children. Gilboy said the incident left her shaken and reluctant to return to the beach. Authorities continue to monitor crocodile activity in Darwin Harbour.