WTKR (Norfolk, Virginia) 13 October 07 Venomous Snakes Invading Hampton Roads (Lisa Godley)
Pets are dying in Chesapeake because of snakes. At least a half of dozen animals died in recent weeks because they were bitten by venomous snakes.
In Chesapeake's Chesire Forest community, it's not unusual to see people walking their dogs and pushing strollers along the beautifully manicured streets. But if you look closely, you may see something else---something potentially deadly, venomous snakes.
"My Dad and I, we have found copperheads over the last couple of years and snakes coming in through our shrubbery in the backyard," said Brendon Jucks, who often jogs through Chesire Forest.
One neighbor recently discovered her puppy dead. The family vet diagnosed the dog's sudden death as a snake bite.
We asked snake expert John Barnes why poisonous snakes are likely to call the Great Bridge section of Chesapeake home. He told us the copperhead, the cottonmouth, also known as a water moccasin, are some of the the most deadly in Tidewater. The most deadly is the Canebrake rattlesnake.
"Of course the Canebrake; the Canebrake can kill you. It has very powerful venom; the Cottonmouth is another powerful snake. There have been some fatalities from a cottonmouth bite, but it's been quite a while," Barnes said.
So what draws these snakes to communities like Chesire Forest?
"I think the lakes are just really drying, and I think the snakes are just coming up looking for food," said Chesire Forest homeowner, Cheryl Reddeck.
"There's a lot of construction that they're doing over there, building new houses, and we've seen a lot of things snakes would feed on, mice, possums and rabbits intruding over here, so they're starting to come into the neighborhood more, so maybe the snakes are following," said Hampton Hurt, another Chesire Forest resident.
Barnes agrees that construction is probably the biggest culprit. Meanwhile, neighbors like Phyllis Churn aren't taking any chances.
"I will watch my dog more often when I'm walking and keep him on a leash," Churn said.
One local veterinarian says if you suspect your pet has been bitten by a poisonous snake you should keep the pet as still as possible to keep the venom from getting into the blood stream quicker. Then, get the pet to the vet as quickly as possible.
Venomous Snakes Invading Hampton Roads