Kids Watch Snake Eat Family Dog

[lizbud]

This family makes me sick. The dog couldn't be pulled away from the
snake because it might hurt or kill the snake. The heck with the frikkin snake, help your dog.


Snake eats family dog as kids watchStory Highlights
16-foot scrub python stalked family's pet for days, expert says

Kids, ages 5 and 7, see their dog eaten by snake

Snake digesting dog in zoo, will be released into wild


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.


A 16-foot python swallows a family's dog on Monday night in Kuranda, Australia.

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. Watch snake handler show off dog-eating python »

"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.


Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may

[Catty1]

As the article says - the dog would have been dead already before it was swallowed. They said it couldn't be pulled OUT of the snake, not away. It would have made no difference.

Sad and tragic, though...these idiots should have been a bit more knowledgeable about this snake pet!

At least it will be moved to the bush...that's where it belongs.

[Taz_Zoee]

I don't think the snake was a pet. And if they had seen the snake right from the start take the dog, I would have chopped that snakes head off in a second!!! Get me the shovel!!! Or chainsaw, something!!!

[kt_luvs_kitties]

RIP poor puppy.

[RICHARD]

Not a fan of snakes, but I would have been the owner of a nice set of cowboy boots had it eaten my pet.

Doesn't snake taste like chikken?

[joycenalex]

good thing ihe snake was removed before it started eyeing the 5 year old....what morons those adults were....geez!

[ramanth]

"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.

So the family knew the snake was around but didn't call someone to come and relocate it?

Stupid.

[jackie]

Was this a family pet? Or a wild snake?