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I think I'd seriously have trouble refraining from beating this kid....

Aug 23, 4:44 PM (ET)

CINCINNATI (AP) - A man who shows snakes and other reptiles at schools, festivals and libraries says a boy who told the man he hated snakes stomped and killed the man's 10-foot-long python. Scott Braunstein said he was showing Popcorn, a nonpoisonous albino Burmese python, Sunday at the St. Bernadette Festival near Cincinnati.

"The next thing I know ... the kid raises his leg and stomps down on the snake's head," Braunstein said. "The snake started convulsing."

Braunstein said he saw a man grab the child and say, "This is why I don't take you anywhere," before disappearing.

"I've never, never, had anything like that happen," said Braunstein, who operates House of Reptiles, based in Dry Ridge, Ky.

Braunstein's collection includes alligators, lizards, spiders and frogs. For two years, Braunstein's animals have been featured in a petting zoo at the festival.

"Scott's business is to educate people about reptiles, and his goal is for people to learn to appreciate rather than fear the reptiles that share this planet with us," said Dan Meakin, who founded All Creatures Animal Hospital in Amelia, Ohio.
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"Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious."
1.1 Cal Kings
1.0 Mali Uromastyx

I do shows for kids all the time, if something like that happend to one of my snakes, pops and kid wouldn't be disapearing, I'm quite a hot head, something like that might get me into troube.
I do hope there will be consequences for that kid to face.
I was in the park the other day after a rain, I saw a set of twins trying to stomp a frog. lucky it was fast and before they could get it I got to them, their father was standing near by and did nothing to stop them. after I shouted at them, one kid tryed once more to stomp the frog, then I let them have it. This is in the city I doubt those kids have ever seen a frog before, and the first one they see they wan't kill, I just don't understad it ?

some people just don't seem to have any respect for animals at all... and they're not teaching their kids to respect them either... its really sad...
I'm constantly fighting with my cousin over my horse getting fed the days I have to work because she always forgets to take care of them... If it wasn't for me feeding them 5 days a week, both the horses and the donkey would die from either dehydration or starvation... I think its really sad that a 15 y/o and her 18 y/o sister can't be trusted at all to take care of their animals...
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"Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious."
1.1 Cal Kings
1.0 Mali Uromastyx

I would've snapped, too- that just infuriates me.

Some people should just NOT be procreating...

//Todd

I agree 100 percent, though i wouldnt have time to smack the kid as id be stomping dad.

I would be willing to but that the boy who stomped the burm has other emotional "issues" he is dealing with besides not liking snakes..

Still, i am very sorry to hear of the snake's demise.

~ Mike

That they would do that to an animal that's done nothing to them. Life has definitely lost its sacredness today. If that's how the kid acts, imagine the dad. Barring any sort of God-given miracle the apple usually doesn't fall to far from the tree. That said, I'd want to strangle them both.

reako45

Inbreeding... doesn't work so well with the human race.

//Todd

This story makes me sick to my stomach.
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0.1 Lampropeltis Getula Floridana
1.0 Elaphe Guttata Slowinskii

I would be lucky if I made bail after an incident like that! I'm sure the father took the boy home and molested him good and proper. Kevin

They probably went home and laughed about this over diner, and the kid probably bragged about what he did the next day at school. The proud father probably bragged about his macho son. Probably they are pulling for Michael Vick, too. Why didnt the owner of the Burm do anything? was he shocked into inaction? I would have stomped the kids head and showed how a burmese constricts to the dad with my fingers around his pencil neck.