THE GAZETTE (Montreal, Québec) 16 July 10 St. Lazare parents sign anti-python petition (Max Harrold)

Photo: (Royaume des Enfants daycare centre)

Parents of children who attend a daycare in St. Lazare are worried the python that lives next door could escape - again -and they have started a petition to have the animal removed, or at least tightly controlled.

Some high-pitched excitement broke out at the Royaume des Enfants daycare on St. Angelique Rd. in the community west of Montreal Island on the rainy morning of June 28 when dozens of children playing in the facility's basement spotted the large snake through a window.

"A teacher saw it under a car in the parking lot," daycare owner Jose Raposo said. "The kids all crowded up to the window. The snake came toward the noise of the laughing kids. They were all excited; they don't know how dangerous a python can be. The snake came right up to the window."

Daycare workers called 911 and police and animal control officers caught the animal using a large blue recycling bin. The snake was returned the next day to its owner, who lives next door to the daycare, Raposo was told by police.

Raposo said a police officer told him the snake was a Burmese python and was about two metres in length.

Native to Southeast Asia, Burmese pythons are among the largest snakes on Earth, and can grow to seven metres with a girth as big as a telephone pole. They are not venomous, but kill by constricting their prey -often a small mammal -until it suffocates.

The snake owner could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Since last week, about 120 parents have signed a petition that was posted in the daycare asking that city officials prevent any further escape, he said.

Daycare worker Josee Castonguay said she and the other workers are in a constant state of vigilance, worried about the snake on top of their usual concerns for the children's safety.

"We go out there and inspect the yard every morning before the children go out and play. It's not a good feeling."

Raposo said St. Lazare officials he has spoken to have been supportive about passing a bylaw to prevent the snake from escaping again.

"Whether it's something that says you can't have a python within a certain distance of the daycare or a law that stipulates how the animal must be kept, I don't really care," Raposo said. "I just don't want it to happen again."

St. Lazare Mayor Pierre Kary was not available for comment yesterday.

Eric Santerre, a spokesperson for the Quebec Department of Natural Resources and Wildlife, said there is no provincial permit required to own a python. He said regulations on how to keep such animals are usually left to municipalities.



LE JOURNAL DE MONTRÉAL (Québec) 17 July 10 Le voisin de la garderie possède un python

(QMI) Des parents et des travailleurs d'une garderie de Saint-Lazare, à l'ouest de Montréal, sont inquiets.

Selon ce que rapporte le quotidien The Gazette, un serpent de type "python" de deux mètres de long s'est échappé de la résidence voisine de la garderie que fréquentent leurs enfants. L'incident est survenu le 28 juin dernier alors qu'une douzaine d'enfants, qui jouaient dans le sous-sol de l'établissement, ont aperçu le reptile à travers une fenêtre. Un préposé de la garderie devait aussitôt prévenir les autorités et des agents de la faune sont intervenus pour capturer l'animal et le ramener à son propriétaire.

Depuis ce temps, quelque 120 parents ont signé une pétition demandant aux autorités municipales de prendre les mesures qui s'imposent pour empêcher la répétition de pareil incident.

Selon le quotidien, un policier aurait déclaré au propriétaire de la garderie que le python était de type "birman", un des plus gros serpents sur Terre mais qui n'est pas venimeux.

Jusqu'à présent, ni le propriétaire de l'animal et ni le maire de la municipalité n'ont pu être re-joints pour commenter l'incident.

Selon Éric Santerre, porte-parole du ministère québécois des Ressources naturelles et de la Faune, il n'est pas obligatoire de détenir un permis pour posséder un python au Québec.

Selon lui, il appartient généralement aux municipalités d'adopter la réglementation concernant l'encadrement de ce type d'animaux.
St. Lazare parents sign anti-python petition

[ Hide Replies ]

• QC Press: Parents anti-python petition - W von Papineäu, Mon Jul 19 10:19:11 2010