Pet Python Kills Dog in Florida

Tragedy in Florida as dog is squeezed to death

A very unfortunate incident has taken place in Florida in which a Python killed a neighboring Rat Terrier by squeezing the dog.

"I keep a picture of him in my wallet," said Wayne Vassello, one of the owners of the little dog whose name was Max. "We don't have kids," he said. "That was our child. We celebrated birthdays and holidays."

Unleashing his dog as they approached their apartment complex, the dog was suddently ambushed by the 4m long Python. Vassello managed to free the dog by beating the snake with a golf club, yet the dog ran off terrified and was found dead the next day.

"She's a very friendly snake, actually," said the Python's owner, who has to cough up $1300 to the couple of the dead dog.

Link

So both animals were not on a leash but the python guy had to pay?

dog die of if it was able to run off? Hmmmm? Probably blows from a golf club!

Originally Posted by shrap

So both animals were not on a leash but the python guy had to pay?

Well, the evil python was lying in wait and ambushed the poor helpless dog. That's what they do you know, vicious, souless creatures they are.

What I'd like to know is since when is a rat terrier worth $1,300?
Particularly touching was the part about carrying the photo of the dog in his wallet. Sort of like wearing the neck brace to court after the 3 mph bump at the stoplight.

Originally Posted by Clay Davenport

Well, the evil python was lying in wait and ambushed the poor helpless dog. That's what they do you know, vicious, souless creatures they are.

If the python was slithering around loose where anybody could get access to it, then the owner deserves to get fined a whole lot more than $1,300, IMO. Imagine "I suddenly heard my two-year old grandson scream" instead of "I suddenly heard my rat terrier yelp" and you'll get some idea of where I'm going here.

It's not the python's fault that it tried to eat a small, furry animal -- that's what python's do. But the owner IS at fault for not keeping a potentially dangerous animal under control. I love big pythons as much as anyone on here, but a 4m python is quite capable of killing someone. And if you don't realize that and don't take steps to keep children and small animals away from your pet, you're no better than the idiot who lets his ill-tempered Rottweiler terrorize the neighborhood.

Originally Posted by Clay Davenport

the dog ran off terrified and was found dead the next day

Yeah, this doesnt make sense to me. If the dog escaped, then how did the python "kill" it? Bleed to death from bite wounds? Fractured rib pierced the lung?

I'd like more info on how the pooch died.

I love my dog and I love my snakes.

When I visit my sister in Florida my dog is never more than a foot or two from me and on a leash when we are outside. And we stay away from bushes/cover.

Not because of snakes - but gators.

In the last five years they have had one fatality and one amputation from an alligator on her island.

The fatality was a man walking his dog.

Originally Posted by Scott Ashton

The fatality was a man walking his dog.

A gator killed the man or the dog?

Originally Posted by Skunky

A gator killed the man or the dog?

Both.

You're kidding me?! I've always associated crocs with being dangerous, but was led to believe (erroneously so?) that gators weren'y considered a genuine threat. A danger, but not grab-me-eat-me-up dangerous.