Deadly Snake Found Hiding in Pet Dachshund's Bed: 'That Was One Lucky Dog'

A pet dachshund had a close call Thursday morning after a deadly snake was found hiding in its bed.

Australian snake catcher Ozzie (Glenn) Lawrence of OzCapture Snake Relocations was called in to assess the situation and remove the venomous visitor.

"The snake ended up there, as it was being followed by the dog, so it just wanted to escape and hide," Lawrence told Newsweek.

The reptile was a red-bellied black snake, a species found along Australia's East Coast. It can be recognized by its black shiny body and distinctive red underbelly, from which it gets its name. The species can grow to around 5 to 6.5 feet on average and, according to the Australian Museum, is usually found in moist habitats like swamps and streams.

The family lives in New Beith, Queensland, and is one of Lawrence's regular customers, so it knew exactly what to do.

"They responded by getting the dog quickly and brought it immediately inside the family home and both still kept their eyes on the snake the entire time till I arrived," Lawrence said. "I'm grateful the customers kept an eye on the snake the entire time and that they took immediate action in preventing any possible pet versus snake altercation."

Although shy, the red-bellied black snake carries a potent venom that attacks the blood and muscles of its victims. Bites from red-bellied black snakes can inflict serious damage and should receive immediate medical attention. There have been no confirmed human deaths from red-bellied black snakebites in recent history in Australia, according to a document provided by the Victoria state government.

Lawrence said that most bites occur when people attempt to handle these venomous snakes themselves.

"Although this species of snake is too often regarded as placid and calm, they are still a highly venomous species," he said. "They should never be picked up, handled or attempted to be caught, unless [by] experienced and, of course, licensed [professionals]."

In this incident, Lawrence said the only potential danger was that the dog may have attacked the snake, resulting in one or both of them being bitten. "Generally, if you leave them alone, they will leave you alone," he said.

Lawrence shared the incident in a post to his Facebook page, which has received several concerned comments.

"That was one lucky dog," wrote one user. "There is nothing easy about handling a dangerous snake."

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