Please note: the following are 'letters to the editor' in response to a previously posted press item. I'd be personally interested to know if the response by Ms Tanner was a result of somebody reading the post in this forum? ... Nova Scotia is a l-o-n-g was from Colorado! Cheers all, Wes

CHRONICLE-HERALD (Halifax, Nova Scotia) 14 August 03 Voice of the People: Respect all animals & Wonderful creatures
Respect all animals
As the former owner of a ball python, the same species of snake that was recently found outside Jennifer Surrette's home (Aug. 9 story), I feel compelled to write. Ms. Surrette's claim that the snake was a large, dangerous reptile that could have easily killed her cats is reactionary and ill-informed. Ball pythons are beautiful, docile animals. They eat small mammals, lizards and amphibians. As reptiles go, four feet (full-grown for this species) is quite small, and not large enough to subdue an animal the size of a cat. One scratch from a cat could inflict far more potential damage on the snake than anything the snake could do to the cat.
Considering she is a member of the Animal Rights Collective of Halifax (ARCH), I am disappointed by Ms. Surrette's response to the situation. According to their Web site (www.archalifax.com), ARCH is dedicated to promoting respect and compassion for all animals.
It is unfortunate that the snake escaped its home, but the incident is the fault of its owner, not the snake. However one may feel about them personally, such snakes are completely harmless, and Ms. Surrette's petition to the city to ban small reptiles as pets has no more basis than would a petition to ban parrots or potbellied pigs. Her efforts would be more appropriately directed towards advocating secure enclosures for all pets, like the one she has built for her cats.
Jennifer Van Dommelen, Halifax
Wonderful creatures
I was very disappointed in your article "Metro python no joke to cat owner and pets; Reptile slithers into backyard" (Aug. 9).
I can easily recognize that snake as a ball python. Ball pythons are not dangerous. They are generally very docile snakes and do not kill cats. The largest meal they eat is a large rat. Ball pythons are not venomous.
The snake is the one who deserves sympathy, as it was probably dumped out into the wild by an uncaring owner and left to die by itself. Ball pythons are native to Africa and cannot survive free in most North American habitats.
It would have been prudent of the newspaper to do a bit of research to determine how dangerous the snake actually was. Instead, you ran something that could easily turn ignorant people against these wonderful creatures. I urge you to show less bias against snakes.
Laura Tanner, Wheat Ridge, Colo.
Voice of the People: Respect all animals & Wonderful creatures