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WCPO (Cinncinati, Ohio) 16 December 06 Man Strangled By Pet Python
A Camp Dennison man has been killed by his pet python.
Investigators say 48-year-old Ted Drees was strangled by his 14-foot python early this morning.
Witnesses say it took three Hamilton County sheriff's deputies to release the snake from around his neck.
The victim's mother can't believe something he loved so much could take his life.
"He had this one out all the time. He reached in and the snake grabbed him around the neck, and couldn't get the snake off," said Elaine Drees, the victim's mother.
Deputies arrived and discovered the snake coiled around the victim's neck.
Humane society officials say the snake, now wrapped in a blanket inside a cage at the Hamilton County SPCA, squeezed the life out of Drees.
"He just loved them. He could go hunting and find a snake just like that," said his mother.
She says he was an outdoors man who loved snakes and that he had handled reptiles since he was a boy.
The 14-foot muscular snake wrapped around Drees' neck and would not release.
"It took three paramedics to get the snake off," said his mother. "By that time it squeezed him and there wasn't any hope."
Snake experts say the description of the way the snake attacked Drees is consistent with how snakes kill their prey -- when the victim tries to take a breath, the snake's strong muscles contract.
"Kind of like any other python, it takes care of its prey by wrapping around it, and as the animal [victim] breathes out, it will squeeze tighter and tighter," said Andy Muhlman, of the SPCA.
Muhlman says the choice of the pet is a matter of personal preference, but says he thinks regulation of the exotic animals is on the way.
"The house of representatives has a bill before them that address exotic animals as pets," Muhlman told 9News.
The veteran animal control officer says this is the first time he's seen a reptile such as this kill a human.
Many people keep these animals as pets, but this behavior doesn't take him completely by surprise.
"These are wild animals. You don't tame them all that much," said Muhlman.
Man Strangled By Pet Python

In the story, they refer to the snake as a "boa constrictor" and a "python." I wonder what kind of snake it actually was.

All of the news reports that I have heard so far have called it a python. Jeez! A prime example of the "rule" that these large animals should not be handled if you are the only one in the room. Unfortunately, all it takes is a few of these stories each year and the anti-reptile folks will be yammering to shut us all down. Be careful out there. Duffy

SYDNEY MORNING HERALD (Australia) 18 December 06 Killer pet snake won't be put down (Jamie Pandaram)
The mother of an American man who was strangled to death by his pet snake has refused to consider putting the animal down because her son wouldn't want it harmed.
Elaine Dres's only son Ted died yesterday after he slipped while entering the cage he built to house his four-metre boa constrictor at his home in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Sensing its owner was dazed, the python wrapped itself around Mr Dres's neck and choked the life out of him. When officers arrived, the snake had to be pried off by three people.
Mrs Dres, who lost her husband two years ago in December, told smh.com.au Ted had loved snakes since he was a little boy.
"I still can't believe Ted is gone, I have to stop myself from thinking he is going to call me - I just can't even comprehend what has happened,'' Mrs Dres, 76, said.
"Ever since he was about 14 he has had snakes. I think a friend of his in grade school had one and so he got a snake, he could find you a snake in the woods in five minutes.
"I couldn't have the snake put down, Ted wouldn't want that. Even though it killed him, Ted wouldn't want it harmed.
"It's now at the SPCA, I couldn't take it.''
Mr Dres's funeral will be held on Thursday (US time) with the burial to be done the following day.
"He didn't have any children, he wasn't married,'' Mrs Dres said.
"He had loads of friends.
"I have five children, Ted was the only boy. His sisters aren't doing too well over this.''
Mr Dres had owned this particular snake for about 11 years but it is not known if he had given his pet a name.
"He had a special cage built for his python. He was going into the cage and I don't know if he slipped or what, but he fell as he was reaching for the snake,'' Mrs Dres said.
"The snake sensed that Ted was dazed and wrapped itself around him.
"If Ted hadn't fallen this wouldn't have happened.''
Ted's cousin James Dres found out about the death through a television report and said he was shocked and distressed.
Killer pet snake won't be put down

THE ENQUIRER (Cinncinnati, Ohio) 19 December 06 Knowledge not enough - Experienced handler was killed despite care (Jennifer Mrozowski and Peggy O'Farrell)
A man killed early Saturday by a pet python was an experienced snake handler who loved animals, his mother said Monday.
"Ted knew snakes so well. He'd had snakes since he was 9 years old. He knew exactly what to do," said Elaine Dres, of Rossmoyne.
Ted Dres, 48, died early Saturday at Bethesda North Hospital. The construction worker's snake, an 11-foot Burmese python, wrapped itself around his neck, strangling him.
Elaine Dres said her son slipped and fell into the cage, which was about 6-by-3 feet and about 3 feet tall, and the snake attacked. Dres' girlfriend called 911, she said. Sheriff's deputies and workers from an animal-protection group "bagged" the snake, but Loveland-Symmes medics could not revive Dres, said Fire Chief Jim Huber.
The attack happened at Dres' home in the 10000 block of Lincoln Road in Symmes Township.
Next-door neighbor Craig Schatzman said he was in shock over the accident, particularly because Dres was so adept at handling the snake.
Schatzman said Dres would bring the snake outside in the front yard to show the neighborhood kids and let them touch it. But he was also protective of the snake, Schatzman said.
"He treated it like we treat cats and dogs," he said. "He loved it."
The snake is being held at Hamilton County SPCA's shelter.
Dres' death prompted the Humane Society of the United States and the Animal Protection Institute to renew their call on state legislators to ban the private ownership of exotic animals Monday.
"Keeping wild animals in our communities is simply too dangerous to public safety and to the welfare of the animals," said Dean Vickers, Ohio program coordinator for the Humane Society.
Private ownership of wild animals is "an accident waiting to happen," said Nicole Paquette, director of legal and government affairs at the Animal Protection Institute.
Arrowhead Reptile Rescue has lined up a new home for the snake.
Elaine Dres said her son had owned the snake for more than 10 years.
Members of the Herpetological Society of Greater Cincinnati visited the snake Monday at the shelter. Dean Allesandrini, vice president and conservation committee chairman of the herpetological society, said the snake "looked a little bit underfed."
If the snake was underfed, hunger might have made it more aggressive and prone to attack when its cage was opened, he said.
"That's almost always how it happens when someone gets injured by a python," Allesandrini said. "They've got a very strong instinctual feeding response."
He and Grady Calhoun, president of the society, both evaluated the snake.
The python "actually looked a little small, considering it killed a human," Allesandrini said. "We were both shocked that it was able to kill a man."
Pythons kill their prey by biting it, then wrapping their bodies around the prey and constricting, he said.
"If you struggle, the snake thinks its prey is getting away and constricts tighter," Allesandrini said.
Snakes in the wild are solitary animals, he said. Kept as pets, they don't bond with their owners the way a dog or cat would, "but they do stop seeing you as a threat. But if you smell like a rabbit, the snake will attack."
Shawn Hughes, who breeds and sells ball pythons in the Mount Washington area, said pythons are more likely to bite if they're hungry or they haven't been handled enough by their owners.
Female Burmese pythons can get as long as 20 feet and weigh up to 270 pounds, he said.
Dres' calling hours will be 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Strawser Funeral Home, 9503 Kenwood Road in Blue Ash. The funeral will be 10:30 a.m. Friday at the funeral home.
Experienced handler was killed despite care