A once-powerful Siberian husky breathes its last breaths as it lies helplessly in the death grip of a 38-pound python after the serpent slithered into a Florida family's backyard and coiled around its neck.
Duke's owners called emergency services just after 10pm when they saw the 10-foot African rock python coiled around their 60-pound pet's neck on August 30.
But within five minutes, he was dead.
The news comes after a rock python that had escaped from a Canadian pet store killed two sleeping boys, Noah and Connor Barthes, last month.
It is not known when the python slid into the family's backyard, in an area southeast of Tamiami Trail and Krome Avenue in Miami where a colony of snakes had been breeding.
The homeowner, who refused to give her name, told CBS Miami her son tried to kill the snake.
'He tried to take it [the snake] away from his [Duke's] neck with his hands, his bare hands,' she said.
'It was so strong, he couldn't do it. He ran out inside, he got gardening scissors. He tried to cut it off. It didn't work.'
The woman said she had never seen anything like it in 10 years of living in the area near the Everglades.
'Be careful, especially with young kids, because something that big can kill a kid,' she said.
While the family did not wish to be identified, CBS Miami reported the attack happened at the family home of accused murderer Jose R. Rojas.
Rojas was charged with the grisly torture and murder of his boss and a co-worker last year.
According to the Miami Herald, an off-duty fire captain and reality TV star, Charles 'Big Country' Seifert of the Animal Planet show Swamp Wars, managed to capture the python, which was later euthanized.
Seifert's co-star, Captain Jeff Fobb of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue’s Venom One unit, said firefighters discovered two bite wounds on the python's neck, raising questions about who struck first.
'It’s difficult to tell if the snake attacked the dog,' he said.
'A snake would’ve had trouble eating a dog that size, so it might’ve been a defensive move [after the dog attacked the snake]'.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokeswoman Carli Segelson said the python was from a 'wild population' and authorities are searching for more in the area.
Other rock pythons have been seen near the Bird Drive recharge area of Miami-Dade County, where the dog attack happened.
'This doesn’t appear to be someone’s pet python,' Segelson said.
'We do have people out today canvassing in that area, letting people know that we would like to get reports about any sightings of these snakes and also giving out basic safety tips on what to do if you see one.
'It's important to note that rock pythons don’t generally attack humans unless they’re provoked, but you should supervise children and keep an eye on small pets.'
According to the Miami Herald, state biologists first got a report in 2002 that a North African python had been spotted near homes and streets around the Bird Drive area east of Everglades National Park and south of the Tamiami Trail, the same area where the husky was killed.
A colony of North African pythons was discovered in 2009, and 27 have been captured since then.
Duke's owners called emergency services just after 10pm when they saw the 10-foot African rock python coiled around their 60-pound pet's neck on August 30.
But within five minutes, he was dead.
The news comes after a rock python that had escaped from a Canadian pet store killed two sleeping boys, Noah and Connor Barthes, last month.
It is not known when the python slid into the family's backyard, in an area southeast of Tamiami Trail and Krome Avenue in Miami where a colony of snakes had been breeding.
The homeowner, who refused to give her name, told CBS Miami her son tried to kill the snake.
'He tried to take it [the snake] away from his [Duke's] neck with his hands, his bare hands,' she said.
'It was so strong, he couldn't do it. He ran out inside, he got gardening scissors. He tried to cut it off. It didn't work.'
The woman said she had never seen anything like it in 10 years of living in the area near the Everglades.
'Be careful, especially with young kids, because something that big can kill a kid,' she said.
While the family did not wish to be identified, CBS Miami reported the attack happened at the family home of accused murderer Jose R. Rojas.
Rojas was charged with the grisly torture and murder of his boss and a co-worker last year.
According to the Miami Herald, an off-duty fire captain and reality TV star, Charles 'Big Country' Seifert of the Animal Planet show Swamp Wars, managed to capture the python, which was later euthanized.
Seifert's co-star, Captain Jeff Fobb of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue’s Venom One unit, said firefighters discovered two bite wounds on the python's neck, raising questions about who struck first.
'It’s difficult to tell if the snake attacked the dog,' he said.
'A snake would’ve had trouble eating a dog that size, so it might’ve been a defensive move [after the dog attacked the snake]'.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokeswoman Carli Segelson said the python was from a 'wild population' and authorities are searching for more in the area.
Other rock pythons have been seen near the Bird Drive recharge area of Miami-Dade County, where the dog attack happened.
'This doesn’t appear to be someone’s pet python,' Segelson said.
'We do have people out today canvassing in that area, letting people know that we would like to get reports about any sightings of these snakes and also giving out basic safety tips on what to do if you see one.
'It's important to note that rock pythons don’t generally attack humans unless they’re provoked, but you should supervise children and keep an eye on small pets.'
According to the Miami Herald, state biologists first got a report in 2002 that a North African python had been spotted near homes and streets around the Bird Drive area east of Everglades National Park and south of the Tamiami Trail, the same area where the husky was killed.
A colony of North African pythons was discovered in 2009, and 27 have been captured since then.
Source : DailyMail , Splash , CBS
Dog is always meant to protect its family.
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