Last updated at 14:59pm on 27th February 2008
CommentsSnakes alive! A giant python has eaten Scotty the pet dog. An Australian couple are living in fear for their children after a huge python slithered into their home and started devouring their silky terrier-cross chihuahua.
In the past few weeks, other pythons have entered their garden, near the northern Queensland city of Cairns, and swallowed the family cat and a guinea pig.
But the loss of Scotty has left Daniel Peric's family fearing for the safety of their children Ethan, five, and seven-year-old Talia.
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Down it goes: The wild rampaging python swallows Scotty the pet Chihuahua cross breed
"I'm not leaving them alone in any part of the house," said Mr Peric, whose home is surrounded by bushland.
It was Mr Peric who found the snake in the process of eating the dog in the garden.
"Actually watching it unfold before your eyes was pretty gut- wrenching. We'd had the dog for about five years, so it was part of the family.
"All I could see were the back legs and tail sticking out from the snake's mouth.
"I threw chairs and sticks at the python, but it was already too late - our dear dog was half way down its throat."
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Gulp: Scotty's legs stick out the python's mouth as his owners took one last tragic photo
The 16-foot python stalked Scotty for days before swallowing the pet whole in front of the horrified children.
"It actively stalked the dog for a number of days," said snake expert Stuart Douglas.
"The family had actually seen it in the dog's bed, which was a sign it was out to get it.
"They should have called me then, but (the snake) got away and three or four days later, I was called and went around and removed it" after the dog had been killed.
"They'd thrown furniture at the snake to try to save the dog but it was too late."
By the time the expert arrived, all that could be seen of Scotty was its hind legs and tail.
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Terrified: Daniel Peric is now scared of leaving his two children, aged five and seven, alone
"It only took about 30 minutes to eat the dog, but it will be digesting it for two days," he said.
Mr Peric said that in the weeks before, the family had found their cat's body which bore all the signs of having been partially swallowed by a snake - all its bones were crushed.
They have also found an empty guinea pig cage, with marks on the ground suggesting a python had got in and swallowed the animal.
"What's worrying me now is that we have ducted air conditioning and I'm becoming paranoid that a snake will get in there and wait for a chance to strike again."
Despite the tragedy, Mr Douglas said scrub pythons were "amazing creatures" but people needed to be aware that pets were potential prey.
"These pythons used to feed on wallabies in the bush, but now they feed on cats and dogs as suburbia has spread," he said.
"I think this particular python actually stalked the dog, lying in wait until it was close enough to strike."
Zoo officials will keep the snake until it has fully digested Scotty and then it will be released back into the wild.
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