A dog with a snake

[Keith Webb]

HE'S never had a nose for trouble before but black labrador Bronson sure knows how to turn heads with his retrieving tricks.

The champion obedience dog stunned his Victorian owners when he recently returned to them to proudly show off his latest find.

Locked firmly in his jaws and coiled around his snout was a long, live snake, believed to be a deadly copperhead.

"He's normally an excellent duck dog but he'll pick up absolutely anything and return it to us, hanging on to it until we say 'give'," Deborah Allen said.

"My husband Peter didn't know he'd lost his mobile phone out in a paddock recently until Bronson returned with it in his mouth."

The couple were lucky to be at home together at their property at Yarragon on January 4 when Mr Allen called out to his wife: "Hey, come and look at this." "There was Bronson with the snake hanging out of his mouth and the snake's body wrapped around his nose," Ms Allen said.

"We weren't sure if it was alive or not and we touched its head which was down at ground level and it moved - it appeared slightly stunned."

As they grappled with a plan to deal with the snake, Mr Allen told his wife to quickly take a photo first.

"He didn't reckon anyone would believe it," she said.

With a camera always by her side, Ms Allen captured the stunning sight as perfectly obedient Bronson, 11, remained totally rigid, trained not to move his head while carrying anything he had retrieved.

"But he had a real forlorn look on his face like he was saying 'Hurry up and take this thing'," Ms Allen said.

Ms Allen said their second labrador, Madeline, usually tried to steal anything Bronson was carrying.

"But this is the first time ever she wouldn't have a bar of him. She kept well away."

Ms Allen found a chaff bag and lowered it to the ground, pulling the bag up and over the snake while at the same time releasing its body which remained wrapped around Bronson's snout.

"And as soon I said 'Give' he dropped it right into the bag and we sealed up the ends."

With the snake safely stored, the pair rushed Bronson to the West Gippsland Veterinary Centre where a coagulation blood test confirmed Bronson had copped a bite.

Four days in hospital followed on a drip, but Bronson is now happily at home.

Australian Veterinary Association president Peter Gibbs said an alarming number of pets had been brought to clinics this summer for treatment of snake bites.

"Snakes tend to be at their most active towards the end of day, with snake bites usually happening in late afternoon or early evening," Dr Gibbs said.

"Dog owners should avoid snake-prone areas."

Symptoms of snakebite include seizures, vomiting, bleeding around the bite, weakness in the limb and paralysis. The animal will collapse with laboured breathing.

Urgent treatment is needed but call ahead so they have antivenene on standby.

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[Ganmain Tony]

That has completely freaked me out!!!!

I like the look on Bronson's face and the comment 'hurry up & take this thing!'. Thats exactly what he looks like he's saying.

What a great doggy....

[Keith Webb]

Originally Posted by Ganmain Tony

That has completely freaked me out!!!!

I like the look on Bronson's face and the comment 'hurry up & take this thing!'. Thats exactly what he looks like he's saying.

What a great doggy....

You wouldn't want to have been with me a couple of days ago at the property in South Gippsland. I was walking up a track from the barn to the house and almost trod on a Red Belly Black snake. It actually reared up and I jumped back and watched quietly while it moved into some covering grass immediately behind it. Then I was able to move past but it did give me a bit of a start! That's the second major snake encounter I've had this season and I think I've had my share.
One of our neighbours has been doing some contract blackberry spraying in our lower gullies and has come across some very large tiger snakes on the narrow tracks he cuts into the 15 foot high blackberries. He usually gives them a spray with the blackberry poison and they head away from him, but it's not the sort of confined space I'd like to encounter one!

[cliff]

I hope and pray that Princess my Assistance Dog does not bring one home as well. Before shifting to Gympie I lost my dog to snake bite at Tansey and I still miss him.

The photo below is Princess taken almost 12 months ago

[hrpearce]

It must be the season for close encounters with snakes. Last week while I was at work at Betty's her daughter was walking down the steps beside the patio when she felt a breese on her face. A brown snake was sunning on the patio and fortunately the rails ruined it's aim or she would have been bitten on the face. Betty heard her screem and the snake suffered lead poisoning.
Keith I too spray snakes to keep them away they turn fastest if you can hit them in an open mouth with a jet spray at 150psi.

[Keith Webb]

Any Canucks contemplating an Aussie Summer visit?