Daily Reptile News

IGUANA NOW CERTIFIED SERVICE ANIMAL

Hillary, the iguana, now has her papers. The docile non-leaping lizard that caused so much contention in Ocean City over unusual animals in public has her own identification card and can travel wherever she wishes.

The 4-foot-long iguana owned by resort resident Wayne Short caused some debate this spring when city officials worried that her strolls on the boards with Short might scare people. They responded by passing a law banning all reptiles and nondomestic animals from public places.

But what they did not know, apparently, is that Hillary is not just some ignominious iguana, or so it would appear.

All along, Short failed to see why she caused such consternation and maintained that all he wanted to do was take her outside on a leash for the natural sunshine that keeps her healthy.

“I just wanted to take her outside of the house. She’s been inside all winter and iguanas belong outside,” said Short, who recently has become known as the “Iguana Man.”

At the suggestion of a Boardwalk performer, Short found a way to freedom for Hillary and himself: she is now registered with the federal government as a service animal, much in the same manner as a seeing-eye dog, except that Hillary is a, well, lizard.

The National Service Animal Registry, an organization that certifies animals that assist people with disabilities, has registered Hillary as a bona fide service animal and certifies that she has been trained to assist Short. Just how she is trained and to do what is something you can’t ask.

According to Americans with Disabilities Act, service animals must be allowed to accompany their owners in any public place without discrimination. Prohibiting such an animal from any location is against the law. The law further stipulates that Short cannot be compelled by a business owner to say that he has a disability or disclose what it is.

According to Hillary’s certification papers, which bear her photo, she is “certified as a qualified service animal and … has been trained to assist Wayne Short, the confirmed disabled handler.” Businesses open to the public must, by law, “allow people with disabilities to bring their service animals into all areas of the facility where customers are normally allowed to go,” according to the document.

Short said he doesn’t plan to flaunt his exemption to the new law by taking Hillary to hotels, restaurants and other establishments. He just wanted to be able to take her out to the Boardwalk on her leash to get some sun without breaking the law.

“We just sit up on the Boardwalk and watch people go by,” he said. “I’m not going to push it.”

Big Snake Found in Forest Neighborhood

Forest, VA – A group of neighbors in Forest got quite a shock this morning, when they discovered an eight-foot boa constrictor slithering through their neighborhood. It set in motion, a coordinated effort to catch the big snake.

“We spotted it laying across the road, it was stretched about three-quarters of the way across our residential street,” said Melanie Roberts.

She took this picture of the big boa, before it slithered into a yard and up a tree.

The home owner tried to stop it.

“I got the broom handle under it and I couldn’t pick it up, it was heavy,” said Steve Jenkins.

State game wardens were called in to help out.

“This is actually going to be a domesticated animal, I will consider, which we really don’t deal with,” said Game & Inland Fisheries Officer Zach Adams.

But they did lend a hand, actually it took four hands to pull the snake out.

“This is something you don’t see every day,” said Officer Adams.

In the end, the big snake appeared to be tame and never put up a fight.

“I was watching Discovery Channel the other day and they was talking about all these big snakes that are turned loose in the U.S. now and there’s reportedly millions of them.  And they said your neighborhood is next and I didn’t think mine was going to be this soon,” said Jenkins.

The snake was placed in a pillow case and handed over to a local pet store.

“We’ll keep him for about a week, until somebody claims him,” said Christopher Herndon of Pet & Aquatic Warehouse.

For the woman who first spotted the boa, she’s glad it worked out the way it did.

“I think most people seeing a snake that size would have been afraid and they would have shot it,” said Roberts.

Game Wardens are convinced the snake was someone’s pet but they’re not sure if it escaped or was set loose.

Taxpayers may end up paying for reptile care

Milwaukee County taxpayers may have to pick up a bill of more than $250,000 to pay for the care of the 239 snakes, lizards, crocodiles and other animals seized from reptile-keeper Terry Cullen, according to the Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission.

Authorities rescued the animals from two Milwaukee locations in May. The majority of the reptiles were found in filthy conditions with little food or water. MADACC is contracted by 19 county municipalities to provide safekeeping for animals involved in law enforcement cases.

According to Melanie Sobel, MADACC executive director, the estimated cost to date for the animals’ care is approximately $247,365 for housing fees, $4,780 for impound fees to cover processing and assessment of the animals, and $2,500 for medical care.

Materials and supplies cost about $2,400, and included horse troughs to house alligators and wood to build lids on anaconda containers “so the snakes wouldn’t escape,” said Sobel. Some of the animals were found housed in plastic sweater containers, “so tight they couldn’t even move so we went out and bought bigger containers so they could move around,” Sobel said.

The estimated figure of $257,045 for the reptiles’ care does not include “thousands of dollars in additional staff time and overtime,” and does not include three days of police time spent bringing the animals to MADACC, Sobel said.

Various zoos and other institutions across the country have now taken dozens of the reptiles into their care. MADACC is still housing 141 animals.

Cullen has been charged with several counts of misdemeanor animal-related offenses and has also been charged with the sexual assault of an Illinois woman. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Sobel said she understood that the Milwaukee County district attorney’s office may seek restitution from Cullen for the care costs. If there is no restitution, “taxpayers will pay the bill,” says Sobel.

However, Kent Lovern, chief deputy district attorney for Milwaukee County, who is working on the Cullen case, said: “At this point, because the case is pending in court, it is inappropriate for me to speculate about any potential outcomes. We will have to let the case run its course through the legal process.”

A call to Cullen’s attorney, Stephen Glynn, was not immediately returned.

NC Leads Nation In Copperhead Snake Bites

RALEIGH, N.C. –

North Carolina leads the country in copperhead snake bites, according to Carolinas Poison Center.

Five venomous snakes call North Carolina home, including copperhead, cottonmouth, eastern diamondback, pygmy, and timber, but it’s the copperhead snake that causes the most bites.

According to CPC, in 2009, almost 500 snake bites were reported. Of those, 228 were identified as copperhead bites.

“Snake bites happen in urban and rural areas. Unfortunately, North Carolina has a high occurrence of snake bites because of the number of snakes we have native to our area,” said CPC Assistant Director, Anna Dulaney. “Pine straw, dried leaves, and wood piles are all popular hideouts for snakes.”

Bob Jankowski of Critter Control of the Triangle tells NBC-17 that snake calls are on the rise due to the heat. Jankowski says he removed a copperhead snake from a home in Cary Wednesday night.

The CPC provides the following tips to avoid snake bites:
• Make sure your home foundation area is clear of debris.
• Don’t allow shrubs to become overgrown.
• Don’t store wood piles right up against the house.
• Keep grass trimmed.
• Wear shoes when outside.
• If you see a snake, do not try to catch or kill it. Back away slowly and keep children or pets away until you don’t see the snake anymore.
• If you are bitten, don’t panic. Do not ice the wound or apply a tourniquet. Don’t cut the wound and attempt to suck out the venom. Do keep the bite site still and seek medical attention right away. Call the poison center if you have questions about snake bites.

Crews detach snake from bitten boy in Stoke-on-Trent

The 5ft 6in (1.7m) snake was coiled around Callum Walters’ arm when crews arrived at his Stoke-on-Trent home.

Ozzy, a non-venomous California King, was attached to the 11-year-old’s thumb. His arm had been submerged in water in a bid to free the pet.

Emergency care assistant Shaun Smith “managed to gently prise open Ozzy’s jaw freeing Callum”, the service said.

Callum, of Lightwater, was treated for multiple puncture wounds to his thumb and taken to hospital.

Headquarters visit

He is keeping the pet after last month’s incident.

A spokeswoman for West Midlands Ambulance Service said Callum’s family had submerged his arm in water in an attempt to free the reptile.

“After a while it became apparent to Callum’s family and the crew that the snake wasn’t going to give up that easily,” she said.

“There was only one thing for it – someone would have to physically attempt to release Callum from the snake.”

She added that after Mr Smith’s intervention, Callum was now “fighting fit”.

He is planning to visit the ambulance service’s Staffordshire headquarters to be re-united with the crew and the person who took the emergency call.

Abandoned pet snake rescued by Halifax SPCA

An abandoned, two-metre-long boa constrictor is now under the care of an animal shelter in Halifax after being rescued by SPCA officers last Friday.

The snake was found emaciated and dehydrated in an apartment last week after the animal welfare group received a call about the reptile.

Animal rescue officers said they believe the snake had not been fed in several months.

“Unfortunately the snake was in bad shape. It looks like he hasn’t eaten in about six months. So we’re talking about a very emaciated snake in need of some tender loving care,” said Kristin Williams, executive director of the Nova Scotia SPCA.

“That’s obviously a concern, just as it is when we encounter dogs and cats that are neglected and left for a period of time.”

The SPCA is releasing few details because the case is being treated as a cruelty investigation.

“I think it brings to question the fact that potential cruelty, abuse, abandoned animals, is not something that’s just specific to cats and dogs,” Williams said. “In fact, it’s something that affects reptile companion animals as well.”

The boa is being nursed back to health by Ssafe Haven Society, a reptile rescue group.

“As you can see, he is grossly underweight. You’re not supposed to be able to pinch any skin on a boa and his skin is actually folded, so he does need to regain his strength,” said Denise McKay, adoption and rescue co-ordinator for the group.

At first the group suspected the boa was female. They will try to confirm that when the snake recovers, McKay said, and if recovery goes well, the snake will be put up for adoption, perhaps within the next couple of weeks.

Boa constrictors are relatively low-maintenance pets, McKay said, needing only a large rodent, preferably a rat, to eat once every couple of weeks, and some cleaning.

Pet retailers say this is a particularly cruel case.

“The fact that this snake was so dehydrated that he floated when they gave him a bath was horrendous. I don’t think any animal should go through that, no matter what the species,” said Adam Findley of Newfoundland Jungle Pets in Dartmouth. “I will never sell a reptile to anyone who I expect will not look after it.”

Alligator eluding capture faces death sentence

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A 10-foot alligator is doing a good job of eluding capture in St. Petersburg’s canals and waters.

Pinellas County’s alligator trapper Charles Carpenter says he’s spent two years hunting for the elusive gator. He received permission from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on Tuesday to shoot the reptile dead if he can find it.

That’s if he can find it.

The gator hides in places that makes trapping it dangerous. So Carpenter decided to ask the state for permission to kill the reptile and harvest its carcass.

There’s rumors of dogs being attacked in the area and of local residents feeding the gator.

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