Posted on 08/26/2007 7:15:48 AM PDT by LibWhacker
CINCINNATI, Aug. 24 A 10-year-old boy who said he hated snakes killed a 10-foot python at petting zoo by stomping on the reptile's head.
Scott Braunstein, a reptile handler who brought the snake to the St. Bernadette Festival in Amelia, Ohio, last weekend, said he was shocked by the boy's violence, The Cincinnati Enquirer said Thursday.
The snake, named Popcorn, was a non-poisonous albino Burmese python.
Braunstein, who operates House of Reptiles in Dry Ridge, Ky., said the boy approached him and told him that he hated snakes. The child then raised his leg and stomped down on the snake's head, Braunstein said.
A man believed to be the boy's father grabbed the child and said, "This is why I don't take you anywhere," before disappearing into the crowd, the newspaper said.
"I have never, never had anything like that happen," Braunstein told the newspaper.
I don’t know many 10-year-olds who kill snakes in zoos...
I think this is beyond “crazy things kids do”, it’s an indication that he’s gonna be a little screwed up when he gets older if he doesn’t learn to control his temper.
“And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed ...” (Gen. 3:14-15)
-The snake was a living creature and obviously someone’s pet. If someone killed a pet of mine... a dog, a cat, or horse.... I wouldn’t consider that “property destruction”.
Was that all Vick was guilty of... a little involvement in some good ol’ fashioned “property destruction”?
An EVIL petting zoo?
I agree that something is not right there. And yes, boys can do destructive things and withing limits, it does not mean much. And I abhor the feminization of boys, where boys are expected to never be agressive or even assertive. But this child seems to be out of control and it seems like the adults in his life shield him from the consequences of his actions. I think this is dangerous. This boy could be getting more and more cruel and violent and the adults are sending him the message that he is entitled to do anything he wants, that there are no real consequences.
put the little bastard in a cage and keep him there
I have pets of my own that I care for and they receive very good care but I do not place their value on the same level with human though I prefer their company to many that I know.
This not about kids or adults killing a snake in their yard or in the woods.
This is about right and wrong.
This is about a disrespectful 10 year old undisciplined child that is displaying a tendency toward unnecessary violence and cruelty in public.
He has stomped and killed the pet, property and more importantly the rights and freedom of another individual because of hate.
To those of you who say it's no big deal and can't see the seriousness of the wrong here by saying it's just a snake or try to excuse his action because he 10 years old,all I can say is for your sake and theirs, I certainly hope you don't have any children.
From what was said there seems to be a history of problem behavior. If he acts this way in public heaven knows what he acts like in private.
This type of behavior does not usually get better with just the passage of time.Today it was someone else's pet, tomorrow it may be you or your wife or your child's Jack Russel on a lease that he doesn't like, perhaps in a few month's or years it will be his new neighbor's three year old toddler. That new neighbor's toddler could be yours or one of your present or future grandchildren.
No I don't think the child needs therapy or jail [yet] but he should have been collared and dressed down/embarrassed and made to apologized to the owner on the spot.
Restitution should have been offered and if unable to be met at the time arrangements should have been made to do so later.
Then when we got home a very short talk about proper behavior and respecting other people,their rights and property,and about the lack of respect for himself and his parents.
In this particular case there would have followed a judicious application of the board of education to the seat of knowledge.
That’s sad, but not tragic. I don’t believe snakes belong in petting zoos. Kids need a healthy fear of vipers, not a cuddly affection. That said, this kid needs watching.
“Kids need a healthy fear of vipers”
As age appropriate, they need to be taught to avoid them, later then taught to identify between good ones and bad ones.
This “irrational fear” is somewhat of a learned response.
I learned it to the bone. Same goes for spiders....well, except for that daddy longlegs that mom found on my pillow every morning while making the bed. She said it slept with me. Brrr.
They are very rare and one this size is probably worth between 2-3 thousand dollars.
somewhere in an alternate universe a boy was seen petting a snake at a stomping zoo.
What is "smart" about teaching your child to run away from his responsibilities?
Would you care to tell me who said anything about your stupid pet's.
Who do you know that the boy isn't retired. I suppose that you would want to off him if that was the case.
What happened to the parent that forced their kid to apologize for what he had done and expect the kid would have some price to pay for his actions. This parent simply took his kid and ran. The parent is as bad as the kid.
FR is an odd place. We squeal like little piggies for discipline and honor in our society, then make the stupidest excuses for criminal and anti-social behavior when it suits us. Go figure.
Yep, but I don't know if it had totally sunk in at the age of ten. In fact, I know it hadn't.
I am. But a ten year old is childish, impulsive, immature and impetuous.
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