More bad Press!!! In the Chicago area too, great timing.

Ed_r · 08-08-03, 08:36 AM

Snake takes a joy ride in S. Elgin
By Tom O'Konowitz Daily Herald Staff Writer

A plumber by trade, Steve Beard of South Elgin knows how to put a snake to work.

This week, however, Beard was flushed with surprise when he found a 6-foot-long boa constrictor hiding under the hood of his work van.

Beard, owner of South Elgin's Freedom Plumbing and Heating, made the discovery Monday evening at his house on the village's west side. As he'd later learn, the boa had been hiding in his van since Saturday morning.

"It's alarming to see it at first, but it's amazing how it hung in there that long," Beard said. "And why would it hang in there for two days next to a radiator that's 200 degrees?"

Beard had been doing plumbing work Saturday morning at a Park Avenue house, on South Elgin's east side, when he heard a neighbor's snake had gotten loose. Not realizing the snake had slithered into his vehicle, Beard put a lot of miles on his van in the next few days with the discreet visitor on board.

Sunday morning, he drove to and from his grandmother's place in Poplar Grove, about 45 miles away, and Monday he went to a job in Maple Park, about 21 miles away.

When he finally returned home Monday night, he saw something hanging down underneath his van and quickly figured out he was staring at the snake that had gotten loose days earlier on the other side of town.

"I was surprised knowing all the places I had been that it was still there," Beard said.

South Elgin police went to Beard's house to help him get the snake out but found it wasn't that easy. The strong snake didn't seem to want to loosen its grip and leave the van, police said.

Ultimately, officers used pepper spray to daze the serpent and remove it. The snake survived the entire ordeal and was returned to its owner.

No tickets were issued to the owner for letting his snake get loose, and that prompted Beard to suggest the South Elgin village board consider enacting stricter laws to penalize pet owners who don't keep them restrained.

"You start thinking about all the safety issues," Beard said. "What if it got to someone's baby? Being a boa constrictor, it could crush someone."

The snake's owner could not be reached for comment.

Then we wonder where these reptile bans originate from?

Delighted2b · 08-08-03, 08:40 AM

Oh geeeez.... This is getting worse and worse....

Danielle

Samba · 08-08-03, 08:59 AM

The thing skeptics need to keep in mind, as with most controversial subjects, is that this is the exception, not the norm. The fact the snake survived this ordeal is highly admirable. There should be fines for pet owners, no matter the pet, for allowing their animals to escape. We, as reptile owners, need to be especially careful because we already know our love for the cold-blooded isn't shared by everyone. I'm proud to say that the only creature to ever escape my house was my dog, and she had a hellava time too!

lordkovacs · 08-08-03, 09:05 AM

i have no idea what some people are thinking. you would think a 6ft boa would be somewhat easy to keep your eyes on. jeez. it's not like a 4 month old corn... now they're sneaky!
cheers,
MIKE

The_Omen · 08-08-03, 09:09 AM

Taking advice for laws from one that shows 'crack' all day???

Yet people blame a baby when it gets bit by a pit bull...

SCReptiles · 08-08-03, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Taking advice for laws from one that shows 'crack' all day???

And you have done so much in your professional career that you can set around and cast insults at a plumber. What if he came down and insulted you at your job while you were trying to make some French fries? Would like that? And the crack shower was absolutely right. We need to be more strict on people who let snakes go. It’s people like that who are getting all these new laws passed. We can not keep venomous snakes in TN anymore because an idiot let some cobras loose a few years ago. AL lost the right to keep exotic venomous after a high profile escape. And this story hits the head lines as the city debates the complete banning of snakes? And you criticize a point of view saying we need to be stricter on people who let them escape? Why don’t you just get a kitten and leave snakes to the grown ups.

BWSmith · 08-08-03, 10:19 AM

Quote:

And you criticize a point of view saying we need to be stricter on people who let them escape? Why don’t you just get a kitten and leave snakes to the grown ups.

huh?

Quote:

you would think a 6ft boa would be somewhat easy to keep your eyes on.

I think you would be VERY suprised how sneaky they are and how many places they can squeeze into.

SCReptiles · 08-08-03, 10:30 AM

Quote:

huh?

Every time this guy opens his mouth, a river or ignorance flows out. He was ridiculing this plumber from Chicago who said we need to enact stricter laws on people who let snakes escape, when the plumber was 100% in the right.

Ed_r · 08-08-03, 10:39 AM

Yet another nice post from SCreptiles.
A little pot calling the kettle black here don't ya think?

Quote:

when he heard a neighbor's snake had gotten loose.

OK the crack showing plummer knew of the snakes escape from the neighbor. But yet calls the police to make a major scene about it.
Why not just contact the neighbor and have him get the snake, instead of having the Keystone Cops, use pepper spray on a snake.

The keeper is wrong for letting the snake escape. Yes stricter measures should be taken on escapees.

I really don't see it necessary to SLAM another individual on here, on a post about something totally different.
You need to chill out and drop the attitude bud. Couple old sayings can be words to live by.
"If you can't say something Nice, Don't say anything at all!" and
"Let he who is without sin cast the First Stone!" Think about it!

daver676 · 08-08-03, 10:44 AM

I love my snake, but I think there does need to be stricter laws against irresponsible owners. Just my $0.02.

Dave

SCReptiles · 08-08-03, 11:45 AM

Quote:

OK the crack showing plummer knew of the snakes escape from the neighbor. But yet calls the police to make a major scene about it.

What is a plummer? Is that like a guy who picks plums maybe? Anyway, the general public fears snakes and we have a responsibility to protect them from contact with ours. He called the police because he was scared. Interesting that you chose to side against me here. This incident will probably be the straw that takes your right to keep away.

Ed_r · 08-08-03, 12:01 PM

Much like they did in TN. But as we all know bans don't stop people from keeping.

And when you make a valid point instead of tearing into others for your own personal gain, I will side against you. It's not necessary.

My point with saying the plum(b)er could have just been cool about it. Since he knew the person that lost it. Sounds like he just wanted to get his 15 minutes of fame, and a free round or 2 of beers at the local pub for telling his story.

Delighted2b · 08-08-03, 12:04 PM

Who says that us women don't like to see cracks!! LOL I think that people just need to be more responsible. Period.

Danielle

Ed_r · 08-08-03, 12:07 PM

I do have to say . The Original Point of this post WAS at how STUPID the snake owner is for letting this happen, and secondary how everyone reacted to it. Sorry if it came accross differently

eyespy · 08-08-03, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Samba
The thing skeptics need to keep in mind, as with most controversial subjects, is that this is the exception, not the norm. The fact the snake survived this ordeal is highly admirable. There should be fines for pet owners, no matter the pet, for allowing their animals to escape. We, as reptile owners, need to be especially careful because we already know our love for the cold-blooded isn't shared by everyone. I'm proud to say that the only creature to ever escape my house was my dog, and she had a hellava time too!

While that's an excellent point, I doubt you'd get public officials to agree, especially those who hold an elective office. More voters agree with bans on reptiles than fight against them in any poll I've ever read.