Snake Eats Family Dog As Kids Watch

[JCarlson2004]

OMG this story is terrible!! After I got over my SHOCK and HORROR, I realized that a few things in this story really bother me.

1. "It actively stalked the dog for a number of days," Douglas said. -- Hmmm ... why didn't the family BRING THE DOG INSIDE until Animal Patrol or someone came to remove the snake? I would've locked my dog up for a year if that's how long it took for the snake to be removed and for my dog to once again be safe on his own property.

2. "The family that owned the dog had actually seen it in the dog's bed, which was a sign it was out to get it," he added. -- Ok, again my same question, why didn't the family BRING THE DOG INSIDE until Animal Patrol or someone came to remove the snake?

3. "Removing the half-swallowed dog could have harmed or even killed the python, Rose said, because dogs have sharp teeth and claws that could do the snake internal damage if it were wrenched out." -- I could care less if the snake died while they pulled the dog out of its mouth. I would have RIPPED MY POOR DOG FREE!! What is wrong with these people?

I also feel sorry for those poor children. They had to witness their dog being squeezed to death and then swallowed whole. I'm sure that's going to leave some nasty memories and maybe even scars on them emotionally.


http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapc....ap/index.html


Snake Eats Family Dog As Kids Watch

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) -- A 16-foot python stalked a family dog for days before swallowing the pet whole in front of horrified children in the Australian tropics, animal experts said Wednesday.

The boy and girl, aged 5 and 7, watched as the scrub python devoured their silky terrier-Chihuahua crossbreed Monday at their home near Kuranda in Queensland state.

Stuart Douglas, owner of the Australian Venom Zoo in Kuranda, said scrub pythons typically eat wild animals such as wallabies, a smaller relative of the kangaroo, but sometimes turn to pets in urban areas.

"It actively stalked the dog for a number of days," Douglas said.

"The family that owned the dog had actually seen it in the dog's bed, which was a sign it was out to get it," he added.

"They should have called me then, but (the snake) got away and three or four days later, I was called and went around and removed it" after the dog had been killed, Douglas said.

By the time Douglas arrived, all that could be seen of the dog was its hind legs and tail.

The zoo manager, Todd Rose, said pythons squeeze their prey to death before swallowing it whole. The 5-year-old dog would have been suffocated within minutes.

"The lady who was there threw some plastic chairs at the snake, but you've got to remember that this is about 50 kilograms (110 pounds) of aggressive muscle," Rose said.

Removing the half-swallowed dog could have harmed or even killed the python, Rose said, because dogs have sharp teeth and claws that could do the snake internal damage if it were wrenched out.

The snake was still digesting the dog at the zoo Wednesday. It will soon be moved to the bush, Douglas said.

[kwaymon]

[ARCHIE]

Dear Lord. Those people were just plain ignorant. I would have taken a knife and ripped the damn gut out of that snake
to get my dog! No doubt about it!
That's another horrible story that could have been avoided. IMO

[BLEU BOY BARBER]

Absolutely ridiculous! This makes me mad

[kezza]

well..i'm sorry...call me evil if you like but i would have grabbed an axe or something and chopped that thing in half! i could not stand there and do nothing i know that.

[MindieRose]

What is someone doing just allowing a snake that large to hang out in their back yard for days? Did I miss part of the story? If it was seen there for days, why wasnt it removed?

[tiggerr36792]

This is why some people should NEVER be allowed to have the privilege of owning a pet!

[mistyinca]

Originally Posted by ARCHIE

Dear Lord. Those people were just plain ignorant. I would have taken a knife and ripped the damn gut out of that snake
to get my dog! No doubt about it!
That's another horrible story that could have been avoided. IMO

I don't know... 16 feet long! That is 3 times my height. That is one big azz snake. I would not go near it.

Also, the words "stalking" is the professional snake man's term. I imagine the people probably told him about where and when they saw the snake a few times before, and he, knowing snake behavior, realized that is what it was doing and that's what he told the reporters.

I feel sorry for the family . I'm sure it was extremely horrifying to all of them.

[MindieRose]

Originally Posted by mistyinca

I don't know... 16 feet long! That is 3 times my height. That is one big azz snake. I would not go near it.

Also, the words "stalking" is the professional snake man's term. I imagine the people probably told him about where and when they saw the snake a few times before, and he, knowing snake behavior, realized that is what it was doing and that's what he told the reporters.

I feel sorry for the family . I'm sure it was extremely horrifying to all of them.

Oh I would go near it. My husband had a 14 ft python when I met him that I have handled. I ain't skeered I always catch snakes in the yard in the summer here for the kids too.
I'd gut the sob and get my dog. Constrictors typically kill the animal before eating it, but I would want it at least for burial purposes and because I wouldnt allow the snake the satisfaction of digesting my pet. Even though really, the snake wasnt really at fault. Snakes eat, just like dogs eat, and if it was hanging around and no one made it leave, it probably figured it was ok to eat the dog. Snakes arent the smartest critters, they dont know a pet from a lunch.

[ARCHIE]

Originally Posted by mistyinca

I don't know... 16 feet long! That is 3 times my height. That is one big azz snake. I would not go near it.

Also, the words "stalking" is the professional snake man's term. I imagine the people probably told him about where and when they saw the snake a few times before, and he, knowing snake behavior, realized that is what it was doing and that's what he told the reporters.

I feel sorry for the family . I'm sure it was extremely horrifying to all of them.

Your right that is one big bad snake, however, even throwing a concrete
block or taking an axe to it while it was busy eating that dog would have
stopped it. It's not coming after you while it's eating. They could have
done something to kill it or even knocked it out and then killed it
What would they have done if there was a baby in it's mouth? They
would have been forced, I would hope, to do something to knocked
the brains out of it. My heart breaks for those poor children who watched.
What nighmares they will be having because of their stupid parents.

[kelkiss5]

Originally Posted by MindieRose

What is someone doing just allowing a snake that large to hang out in their back yard for days? Did I miss part of the story? If it was seen there for days, why wasnt it removed?

So true. If i had a snake that long visiting my back yard, there is no way I would let things rest until it was captured. Omg I have even heard of large snakes like this can eat small children.
That poor dog should never have been left on its own until the snake was caught.

[MindieRose]

3. "Removing the half-swallowed dog could have harmed or even killed the python, Rose said, because dogs have sharp teeth and claws that could do the snake internal damage if it were wrenched out."

Ok, I watch Dirty Jobs all the time, lol. This one episode, they had to catch snakes and squeeze them from the bottom up to make them puke up what they ate last to study the diet of the snake. None of those snakes died or were injured. Plus, since when did they start worrying about the life of an animal that has just taken the life of something else? Didnt they shoot a bear or something like that awhile back that killed someones dog? I cannot remember the story, but I think they killed some animal that killed a dog somewhere and it was on the news.
I'll have to do a search on that. Some animal that killed a dog somewhere that was shot. ROFL!

[mizzwanned]

That is horrible! Why was the dog kept outside!!?

[Bamamom]

The first day the snake was seen they should have called to have it removed. And they should not have let the dog in the back yard until the snake had been captured!! My heart aches for those poor children. It sounds like this could have been prevented if only they called someone when they first saw it....it could have gotten to the children as well.

[Sookie]

Ugh! I'm sorry I read that. So sad.