Here's the latest on the cobra running (slithering?) loose in a small town about 15 miles from where I live, from _The Birmingham (AL) News_, Saturday, 7 July 2001, front page: State regulation to constrict snake ownership 07/07/01 MEGAN BOLDT News staff writer Alabama's exotic reptile owners and sellers could face criminal penalties later this month. The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has issued a state regulation effective July 25 to prohibit the possession, sale, importation or release of non indigenous venomous reptiles, said department lawyer David Dean. Dean said the regulation was issued in March and is unrelated to the controversy over a missing cobra in Moody. He said the regulation came about after some legislators had been receiving complaints about increasing problems with venomous snakes. State Sen. Tom Butler, D-Madison, started working on outlawing the creatures last fall. [snip for brevity] In St. Clair County, residents are still unnerved as they look for a deadly black spitting cobra missing in Moody. The 5-foot snake escaped about three weeks ago. It is capable of spitting venom as far as 15 feet. David Horsley, 35 bought the snake a year ago and housed it in a fish tank in a trailer in he Moody yard. He said he understands people are worried about the disappearance. But he said the new regulation won't keep him from owning the snakes. He also has a white spitting cobra and an adder. Horsley said having the snakes allows him to practice his Christian religion, so he won't get rid of them. "I don't think they have the right to do that," Horsley said. "It's part of my religion and beliefs." [When I first heard about the missing cobra, I had wondered if there might be a connection to the snake-handling churches found in this area of the country (although most of the ones I've heard of use rattlesnakes), but this is the first confirmation of that possibility I've seen.] [snip] [Moody Police Chief Bobby] Clements said Monday police had hands tied in the disappearance of the spitting cobra because there were no local, state or federal regulations prohibiting possession of the venomous snakes. [snip] � The Birmingham News. Used with permission. The complete article is available on-line at: <http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/?Jul2001/7-e344351b.html> And from the "Outdoors" columnist in today's paper (Sunday, July 08, 2001): Not involved in cobra hunt? Bite your tongue [A reference, I suppose, to another snake story out of IIRC either North or South Carolina last week: some guy was kneeling down in front of a rearing cobra to take its picture when it bit him on the tongue. He had to be flown to Florida to receive antivenin treatment. Fortunately, I heard he was doing OK. I beg of you, though: please don't assume that _all_ Southerners are stupid enough to play around with poisonous snakes. Some of us _do_ have a bit of sense.] by Mike Bolton, Outdoors Writer The late Grayson Rose of Grayson Rose Transmission fame used to have a great saying concerning people minding their own business. "Don't dig up no snakes that ain't biting you," he often said. It has been with those words of wisdom that I have ignored - until now - the escaped cobra that continues to terrorize the neat little town of Moody. Why so many people believe an outdoors writer should be involved in this unfolding drama is beyond me. "You really need to write an article telling people that they shouldn't keep animals that dangerous in their homes," said a woman who went to the trouble of calling my home. I treated her with all the respect I give to vinyl-siding salesmen who also interrupt dinner. "Ma'am," I said. "This guy kept a cobra in his house. Why are you under the impression he can read?" [The rest of the column is available on-line at <http://www.al.com/columnists/birmingham/mbolton/07082001-e212046b.html>.] -- Ronn! :)
