People like this should be locked up

[jtyson123]

Probably because a venomous snake can kill a human much more easily than a nonvenomous.

Its ignorant for people to use fear as their basis for judgement on any topic.

As far as all pets go, should we kill pit bulls and rottweilers as they tend to be more aggressive (or so they are portrayed by television and movies), yet save everyones blue heelers because they are less likely to cause as much damage?

If you understand something entirely and know how it works, you have no reason to be scared of it. You can learn to respect the danger of a venomous snake and do what you can to avoid them. After all technically WE are the invasive species. Not them.

I personally know a half dozen people who have been bitten by the rattlesnakes here in New Mexico, and NONE have died. All were forced to seek immediate medical attention, but none died. And all of them were bitten because they were either stupid and messing with the snake, or because they accidentally stepped on it. Not the snakes fault, just its problem. And it took care of its problem the only way it knew how and used what it is equipped with.

[unspecified42]

Its ignorant for people to use fear as their basis for judgement on any topic.

As far as all pets go, should we kill pit bulls and rottweilers as they tend to be more aggressive (or so they are portrayed by television and movies), yet save everyones blue heelers because they are less likely to cause as much damage?

If you understand something entirely and know how it works, you have no reason to be scared of it. You can learn to respect the danger of a venomous snake and do what you can to avoid them. After all technically WE are the invasive species. Not them.

I personally know a half dozen people who have been bitten by the rattlesnakes here in New Mexico, and NONE have died. All were forced to seek immediate medical attention, but none died. And all of them were bitten because they were either stupid and messing with the snake, or because they accidentally stepped on it. Not the snakes fault, just its problem. And it took care of its problem the only way it knew how and used what it is equipped with.

What?

It's perfectly reasonable for people to use fear of injury or death to judge something if it's a valid concern! I have far more fear of black widows of brown recluses than I do of wolf spiders, and I would kill either of the former if I found them in my house while I routinely ignore the latter that I find everywhere. I'm a lot more afraid of the flu than I am of a cold, and I'm a lot more afraid of MRSA and VRE than I am of less resistant organisms.

Large dogs are not more aggressive, but they DO have the capacity to cause more harm and therefore should be treated with more caution. I don't think it's unreasonable to euthanize a large breed, aggressive dog if it is posing a risk to humans, and I don't think it's unreasonable to kill a snake that is posing a similar threat. I don't think anyone is advocating proactive slaughter of venomous snakes that are not posing a threat like you are suggesting with this analogy, though.

I'm surprised this was news, frankly. People around here routinely kill the hots in our area. It has never bothered me, really. Human life is more important to me than snake life. I would rather see a dead snake than an injured human. Bash if you want, but I figure the snake would be happier to see a dead human than injuring itself so I'm not sure why that's much different.

It's snake nature to protect itself. It's human nature to do the same.

[h00blah]

this should turn into a poll

right or wrong..

seeing how it is a snake forum, im sure it could prove interesting to see who thought this was right. or if not "right" then "justified" perhaps?

as for me, i think what he did was justified. nobody I know has ever been bitten bc im not friends with 4 year olds.

a venemous snake IS more dangerous than most mammals. it IS venemous... theres no "it COULD be venemous!", yes some mammals CAN carry diseases, but how many times have u HEARD or even SEEN on the news or the paper of someone getting killed bc of a squirrel attack... tbh, if it ever DID happen, it WOULD appear on the news... people kill rats bc they can carry diseases, but the reason is bc they can manage to get into ur house...

[Samuel]

Here's the deal. I live around rattlers, not many here specifically, but the area is known for some here and there. Because of the rare sightings, if I found one in my yard .. in my neighborhood, I honestly would do one of two things right away.

1) Find a bucket and trap it .. see if I can move it safely. If not, see if someone else can move is safely.

2) kill it

I would have zero issues killing a poisonous snake that was in my neighborhood. none. It's spring time, I see little kids rolling around on the grass, and running between houses and through lawns. I know what I was like as a kid, and my gut instict is if this is found by a kid, there will be issues .. I just don't even want to think about that chance happening.

Would I call the press? no. Do I understand what went through his mind? yes.

[JEWSKIN]

Venomous snakes will find a way to let you know they are there they'd rather not waste their venom on something they can't eat...not to mention it has been proven and documented that a venomous snake will let you pretty much step on it with out striking so long as you don't reach for it.....as far as children go well they should be educated first and foremost about what is safe and what isn't or even to back away when they see a snake and get an adult there are much better ways to go about this than just killing on site

[NCtrickFL]

Ya Jewskin that's easy to say. But we tell kids all the time not to run in the road, or play in that lake, or go inside the barn that's about to fall over. They do it anyway. They're kids!! And if your childhood was anything like mine, you understand the danger, but...I don't know its just too easy to ignore the advice.

Accidents happen and children die. It is a horrible fact, but it happens. No child on earth made it through childhood without an injury of some kind.