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Leave It: Dog Trainers Help Pets Avoid Venomous Snakes
Trainers say the method can help dogs avoid venomous snakes, while veterinarians report up to 150,000 bites a year in the United States.
- In Tucson, Arizona, dog trainer J.J. Belcher uses electronic collars to teach dogs like 2-year-old Ripley to avoid venomous snakes, a practice increasingly sought as snakebite incidents rise across the United States.
- As many as 150,000 dogs suffer venomous snakebites annually in the U.S., a problem worsened this year by warmer weather that caused snakes to emerge earlier than usual, prompting owners to seek preventive training.
- While a single training visit costs $125, the method remains contested; the American Humane Society opposes electronic collars as cruel, while the ASPCA recommends such training only under knowledgeable guidance.
- Quick treatment yields a 94% survival rate for pets bitten by snakes, though experts also advise keeping dogs leashed and clearing yards of debris to reduce encounter risks.
- Similar programs operate from Illinois to Florida, with trainer Mike Parmley of Barley's Canine Recreation Center in Salt Lake City teaching 500 dogs annually to avoid Great Basin rattlesnakes in the foothills.
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Leave it: Dog trainers help pets avoid poisonous snakes
In parts of the U.S. where venomous snakes are more common, training programs aim to protect pets from getting bitten.
·New York, United States
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Total News Sources54
Leaning Left19Leaning Right6Center28Last UpdatedBias Distribution53% Center
Bias Distribution
- 53% of the sources are Center
53% Center
L 36%
C 53%
11%
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