My sister and my mother-in-law are terrified of snakes. My mother-in law will come into the house, but not the room the snakes are in and my sister refuses to enter the house at all.
Personally, I have an irrational fear myself, so I do understand how they feel, because mine really silly. I'm afraid of mice. Not rats, just mice. Stupid, huh? I've had pet rats and really enjoyed them, but mice freak me out.
I have a heart attack every time one of the cats catch one. They are cats so they usually play with it for a while after they catch it, you know, let it go, then catch it again. I usually either leave the house or see if I can get the cat to take the mouse into the bathroom and then shut them in. Irrational fears really stink!!!! I know when I'm being reasonable that a mouse couldn't hurt me and is doubtless much more afraid of me than I should be of it, but it doesn't help.