By Alesha Capone
RESIDENTS in Wyndham’s new estates have urged the council and authorities to strengthen their warning methods about the danger snakes can pose, as the weather warms up.
Sanctuary Lakes resident Pierrick Boyer said he was “pretty devastated” when his pet dog Hearty was killed by a brown snake recently.
“Two weeks ago on Monday I found him in the backyard not moving,” he told Star last week.
Unfortunately, the vet could not save Mr Boyer’s beloved pet of five-and-a-half years.
“He was a fantastic dog, the best you could ever want,” said Mr Boyer, who said Hearty’s death has left him “really devastated”. “My two other dogs, now they have to be inside the whole day,” he said.
“What I want to do is not scare everyone but let them know to be careful if they have a child.
“I just don’t want it to happen again, especially not to a child.”
Another Wyndham resident, Ian Fox, said he has “had plenty of experience with snakes” since he moved to Wyndham Waters around three years ago.
His cat was bitten by a snake around 18 months ago, another snake was captured in his backyard last year and another then he found in his front garden.
“I just had another snake in the backyard yesterday, my younger dog killed it and bit its head off but we’ll not always be that lucky,” he said.
“When I’ve been walking on the Federation Trail I’ve seen them in the area near the sewer.
“Putting up signs would probably be a great idea to let people to know they are around, even possibly in the estate, because there are wetlands there and there are kids and kids will sometimes run off.
“People need to know to maintain the area to protect their own kids. Or maybe the council could do a letter drop to every person in the area to say there are snakes in the area.”
Wyndham Mayor Heather Marcus said the council has erected signs at “several waterways and hotspots for snakes”. Residents who see a snake can contact the council on 9742 0777.
