16-Foot Python Eats Family Dog

Australian Snake Stalked Pet For Days Before Swallowing It In Front Of Horrified Children

(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, ages 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 relocated to the bush, Douglas said.

[badfish911]

AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
thanks to CBS news for posting this all important story about the taco bell dog gettin chowed on by a snake!
i will sleep so much better tonight MORONS!

[erasmus6]

"Removing the half-swallowed dog could have harmed or even killed the python."

SO?? I would have beat the thing to death if that was my dog.

[displeased]

thanks to CBS news for posting this all important story...
Posted by badfish911

Easy badfish911, stories like this are important to remind people that when a snake is stalking your dog, you should take measures to protect it.

[badfish911]

hi DISPLEASED...
yes your right...now people know that when their doggie is being stalked by a 77 pound snake...they should protect the dog (rolls eyes........)

[jetlizhan]

Benst1 -
you''re my hero of the day

[andrew_693]

This is why only as dumb arse has a snake as a pet, this is the kind of sh it they do. If I see a snake in the wild and carry a weapon with me I have no remorse in killing it without thinking twice.

[random_radar]

This reminds me of the Discovery Channel story about the people who visited Africa with their baby and army ants started eating the baby in the tent while they were sitting around the camp fire.

[joyous88]

Dog People are IDIOT''s,

think that there might be something more important

to discuss this morning?

[passerby2]

wonder why they didn''t call the authorities when they saw this humongous thing laying in the dogs bed?

[passerby2]

Come to think of it, at 16 foot, the 5 yr old kid could have been the victim.

[displeased]

Come to think of it, at 16 foot, the 5 yr old kid could have been the victim.
Posted by passerby2

The 5 yr old will be next...

[republic1776]

All the saw was fluffy''s little tail....lol

[rational_1]

What were the parents thinking? They have 5 and 7 year-old kids and knew for days that there was a 100+ pound python lurking around and yet did nothing. Sure it''s sad that lil'' yo quiero got munched, but this could have turned out much worse.

[round_table]

What a beautiful creature.

[rf35]

The snake did nothing wrong...it was just following its natural instincts. It didn''t move into our habitat, humans (with dogs) moved into its home. The adults here could have had the snake relocated days before, but for whatever reason, did nothing. If you want to place blame, place it in the right place.

[lilbeards1]

This is the funniest thing I''ve read in a long time! Like a scene right out of the Simpsons! lol!!!

[uradufuss]

Maybe this is a good idea for the feral cat problem? Our no-kill human societies could just say, "We didn''t do it! It was the *** snake!"

[uradufuss]

Dog-gone it!

[uradufuss]

Good thing they got the snake out of there before one of the kids killed it.

[uradufuss]

SSSSSSSSSSay. Thatssssss a nice-sssss tail you have there!

[dangeroushen]

I''m sorry, but if that had been my dog Mr snake would have been turned into the worlds longest handbag.

[nordeck52]

At least the snake didn''t harm anyone else. I feel bad for the poor dog though. Don''t see why they were concerned about harming the snake though.. I mean the thing killed the poor pet. Those kids are going to be scarred for life.

[hwy71so]

Great, a snake (in AUSTRALIA) does what a snake does and it makes news. 250,000+ acres along with homes and other lodging in west Texas get burned up in wild fires and not a word is mentioned.

I can see where there''s news in that.............

[nothappyatall]

"Removing the half-swallowed dog could have harmed or even killed the python, "

I would have cut the dam thing in half or run over it''s midsection with my car if I had to to get my dog out, the snake sucker would just be DEAD

[uradufuss]

I once owned two snakes...one for my left foot and one for my right foot. The were pretty comfortable too.

[dudesuperior-2009]

Cool

[skeezix06]

Gee. Leave the family pet hanging halfway out of the snake''s mouth and save the snake''s life or yank it out and tear the snake''s gastrointestinal system to shreds...

I know what I would have done and it wouldn''t have been pretty.

[hawksprings]

Yummmm. Tastes like chicken!

[j0xujahc]

They need some good snake medicine. That is called a shotgun.

[denn034]

Pythons break the back of it''s prey before swallowing it so, there''s nothing that could''ve been done to save the dog even if it were removed. This python is just doing what pythons do. People act like this is one giant surprise but, it actually happens more than once every year. One hears stories like this every year so, no need to be surprised.

[hawksprings]

The cool thing is it won''t need to eat for awhile.

[T2_Squared]

The dog was dead by the time the smake started to devour it so killing the snake for something it does by nature would not have saved the dog or brought it back.

Proof once again that humans and wild animals should not mix.

One less Chihuahua in the world does not worry me but those people should have had better sense and called about the snake long before lunch. And if they are stupid enough to leave a giant snake in the yard with small children around, guess who could be next.

[bb19631]

I hate snakes!!

[Syndicate]

Me too.

[hawksprings]

Ummmm, Chihuahua... tastes like Mexican Chicken!

[elimeric]

Holy ***!!! Are you kidding me? A chihuaha? As the famous line in "Ghost Hunters" is stated... "Dude, Run!!!!"

Run for your *** life! The snake is coming to get ya!

Anyways, I would try and do anything to stop that snake from coming back to the house....

[elimeric]

How the hell can the snake do that?

[skeezix06]

Newsflash Scarlet. I don''t care about the snake. According to yahoo, pythons are apparently going to become part of the scenery for the bottom third of the U.S. If I see one of them near me I''m going to look a way to kill it.

[stupidrules3]

If this chihuahua mix had the temperament of a chihuahua, he probably thought he could take out the snake and attacked it. Kind of like bringing a knife to a gunfight. I have always believed that if it weren''t for humans spoiling and protecting them chihuahuas would be extinct.

[runningralph]

About the 2nd page of Genesis it says humans and snakes will be enemies. They should not be kept roaming around a home. On the other hand, I''ve never seen a chihuahua that I ddn''t want to feed to a python.

[iceman_1960]

"16-Foot Python Eats Family Dog..."It actively stalked the dog for a number of days"
---------------------

Well, the snake needed to eat to survive.

Human beings like D*ick Cheney stalk and kill animals just for the fun of it.

That"s called "sportsmanship.""

[iceman_1960]

"About the 2nd page of Genesis it says humans and snakes will be enemies."
- Posted by runningralph at 08:18 AM : Feb 28, 2008

What does it say about snakes and chihuahuas ?

[pensacola88]

I remember being sent out to go get the newspaper for my father and watching a cat have babies and then eat them! It was not my cat and I had no bond with any pet, but the event was strange. A few years ago an alligator robbed my fish on a stringer and even ate the six foot chain. Animals attack for food out of need.

It is sad that a snake competed with two small children for their pet dog. I am sad that they suffer such a loss!

Hopefully they will be taught to accept nature on its terms, not try to control it.

[minnick8-2009]

Has a python ever eaten a child? Maybe the family should be glad the snake only ate the dog.

[bunnybaum]

I say "Shoot the snake". The only good snake is a dead one. I feel for the family. I have a mini Shih-Tzu and consider him a part of my family. The world should get rid of all snakes!

[iceman_1960]

"The world should get rid of all snakes!"
-Posted by bunnybaum at 10:53 AM : Feb 28, 2008
-----------

Beware the Law of Unintended Consequences.

Snakes are a major control on rodents. Get rid of all snakes, and the resulting explosion in the population of mice and rats would destroy the ecosystem and possibly lead to the destruction of the human race.

[guysdigdirt]

Human beings like D*ick Cheney stalk and kill animals just for the fun of it.

That"s called "sportsmanship.""
Posted by Iceman_1960

You assume much. And I do mean you assu, cuz the only person you make an a$$ of is you.

[l00ker]

You''ll start hearing more stories like this, from the southern U.S., because many of these owners release these snakes into the wild, after they have become to large to handle. And unfortunely, someone will lose a small child as a result of it.

[iceman_1960]

RE: Post by guysdigdirt at 01:24 PM : Feb 28, 2008

Is that not the reason Cheney goes hunting ?

Or can you ***-ume some other motive.

[ynot12007]

I hate snakes. Perhaps, others do but I do not. Being a dog person, I would have found a way to save my pet. Snakes do not belong in someone''s house, "PERIOD". Dogs and cats yes snakes, NO.