This is the moment three cyclists dramatically rescued a young dog from the crushing grip of a 13ft anaconda in Brazil.
The heroic battle to save Negão, a two-year-old adopted stray, lasted 20 minutes with footage showing the battle between the two men, a teenage boy and the massive predator.
The dog had gone to take a drink from a lagoon while out for a run with his owner, Paulo Marqueti, in Jaborandi, Sao Paolo on Saturday afternoon.
The trio fought with all their strength to release the trapped pet after it was dragged underwater by the snake.
Mr Maqueti, a 46-year-old vet, was with close friend Adilson Tosi, 44, a dog trainer and his 14-year-old son, Miquel, when Negão nearly became fodder for the hungry predator.
Dog owner Paulo Marqueti, 46, can be seen wrestling with a 13ft anaconda as he tries to free his two-year-old pup Negão from the snake’s grip. The man is pictured on the banks of a lagoon in Jaborandi, Sao Paolo on Saturday (Credit: FocusOnNews)
![Mr Maqueti (pictured) said that he jumped into the water as the anaconda tried to pull the dog into the deep in Sao Paolo on Saturday. He said he didn't think twice about risking his own life (Credit: FocusOnNews)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/12/17/15/22354942-7801675-Mr_Maqueti_pictured_said_that_he_jumped_into_the_water_as_the_an-m-68_1576595823869.jpg)
Mr Maqueti (pictured) said that he jumped into the water as the anaconda tried to pull the dog into the deep in Sao Paolo on Saturday. He said he didn’t think twice about risking his own life (Credit: FocusOnNews)
The trio were riding past the Pirola Lagoon, accompanied by a pack of 10 dogs, when the inquisitive dog bounded off to the water’s edge.
Speaking to FocusOn News, the vet said: ‘We suddenly heard Negão barking excitedly and thought he had caught something.
‘When his barking turned into yelping I knew something was terribly wrong. I pushed my bike to the banks of the lagoon and saw a huge snake had wrapped itself around the dog and was dragging him into the water.’
Mr Maqueti said he didn’t think twice about risking his own life to save his pet. The dog was rescued from the streets just over a year ago after he found him injured and abandoned.
The animal lover dropped his bike and waded through the knee deep water as the anaconda pulled its catch into the deep.
![Mr Maqueti, pictured wrestling with the snake, said that he dragged the creature, which had coiled around the dog, on to the shore of the lagoon in Sao Paolo (Credit: FocusOnNews)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/12/17/15/22354948-7801675-Mr_Maqueti_pictured_wrestling_with_the_snake_said_that_he_dragge-m-70_1576595837116.jpg)
Mr Maqueti, pictured wrestling with the snake, said that he dragged the creature, which had coiled around the dog, on to the shore of the lagoon in Sao Paolo (Credit: FocusOnNews)
![Again, Mr Maqueti is seen trying to pry the snake's body from the helpless pooch's neck on Saturday in Sao Paolo. He said that it took the combined strength of three men to separate the serpent from the dog (Credit: FocusOnNews)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/12/17/15/22354934-7801675-Again_Mr_Maqueti_is_seen_trying_to_pry_the_snake_s_body_from_the-m-71_1576595842341.jpg)
Again, Mr Maqueti is seen trying to pry the snake’s body from the helpless pooch’s neck on Saturday in Sao Paolo. He said that it took the combined strength of three men to separate the serpent from the dog (Credit: FocusOnNews)
He said: ‘I searched around until I found them both submerged. I pulled them onto the shore together and tried with all my might to release my dog from the snake’s grip. But it was almost impossible to do.’
The beast had wrapped itself around the pup’s neck and was squeezing the immobilised pooch into submission.
It took the combined strength of three riders to loosen the creature’s stranglehold.
The determined owner said he would not have been able save his dog on his own.
He said: ‘The snake was extremely strong but we weren’t prepared to give up. While I tried to uncoil its powerful grip, Adlison kept hold of the rest of the body to ensure it didn’t get away.’
The killer was determined to keep its prey and tried its best to slither back into the water where it intended to drown and swallow the dog.
![Mr Maqueti's friend Adlison, can be seen holding the snake's tail, while Mr Maqueti holds its massive head. The predator kept trying to slither back into the water, where it planned to drown and swallow the young pup (Credit: FocusOnNews)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/12/17/16/22354950-7801675-Mr_Maqueti_s_friend_Adlison_can_be_seen_holding_the_snake_s_tail-a-13_1576600602036.jpg)
Mr Maqueti’s friend Adlison, can be seen holding the snake’s tail, while Mr Maqueti holds its massive head. The predator kept trying to slither back into the water, where it planned to drown and swallow the young pup (Credit: FocusOnNews)
A seven-minute video of the dramatic rescue, filmed by Miguel, shows the trio’s mammoth struggle to release the hound.
As the tug-of-war continued, the teenager grabs hold of the tail of the giant reptile as his dad wedges the water boa’s mouth open with several sticks.
The teen said: ‘We had to wrestle with it for ages to rescue the dog. The film shows it took everything we had to release Negão from its grip.’
His dad said: ‘One man on his own would never have been able to pull this off. The snake had the strength of three men.
![Along with the three men and teenager, there were 10 dogs present at the incident. One of them is pictured on the shores of the lagoon on Saturday. Mr Maqueti said that they helped by barking away at the mammoth creature (Credit: FocusOnNews)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/12/17/15/22354936-7801675-Along_with_the_three_men_and_teenager_there_were_10_dogs_present-m-73_1576595851638.jpg)
Along with the three men and teenager, there were 10 dogs present at the incident. One of them is pictured on the shores of the lagoon on Saturday. Mr Maqueti said that they helped by barking away at the mammoth creature (Credit: FocusOnNews)
![The men and pack of dogs are pictured on the shore of the lagoon in Sao Paolo on Thursday (Credit: FocusOnNews)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/12/17/16/22354944-7801675-The_men_and_pack_of_dogs_are_pictured_on_the_shore_of_the_lagoon-a-14_1576600602038.jpg)
The men and pack of dogs are pictured on the shore of the lagoon in Sao Paolo on Thursday (Credit: FocusOnNews)
‘I couldn’t open her jaw with my hand. So I grabbed some sugar cane sticks that I found on the ground and shoved them in both sides of the mouth then pushed them into the middle to wedge it open.’
It was only then they were able to release their four-legged friend from the deadly squeeze.
The poor pooch was severely traumatised by the experience but suffered no life threatening injuries and has made a full recovery.
Luckily the snake didn’t turn its attention to the other dogs that bravely yapped around it as the incident unfolded.
![Another pooch can be seen standing guard at the water's edge, where the mammoth beast waiting after Negão was released. Luckily the snake didn’t turn its attention to the other dogs that bravely yapped around it as the incident unfolded (Credit: FocusOnNews)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/12/17/15/22354952-7801675-Another_pooch_can_be_seen_standing_guard_at_the_water_s_edge_whe-m-75_1576595866673.jpg)
Another pooch can be seen standing guard at the water’s edge, where the mammoth beast waiting after Negão was released. Luckily the snake didn’t turn its attention to the other dogs that bravely yapped around it as the incident unfolded (Credit: FocusOnNews)
After giving up the fight, the slinky hunter returned to the water but remained lurking at the lagoon’s edge.
The relieved pet owner said: ‘Although the anaconda tried to kill my pet, there was no reason to take revenge. It would have been wrong to harm her. We can’t blame the creature because she was only doing what comes naturally.’
However, he has revealed that since the incident, the area has been declared a danger zone and locals have been warned to stay away for the time being.