Snake owners hiss over reptiles’ bad rap

WINSTED — The State Department of Environmental Protection Bureau of Natural Resources Wildlife Division is considering regulations to ban the ownership of several different breeds of reptiles.Included in the proposed regulation is a ban on the ownership, sale and trade of several species of snakes.This does not sit well with local residents Samantha Volovski, Charles Perry and David Naticha.Between them, the three own 10 snakes, some large, some small.In order to make their voices heard, the three have started a “Snake Awareness Day” for Northwest Connecticut.While they have not set a firm date, the three are planning to hold snake presentations at local schools sometime in May to explain why snakes are good pets.Volovski said that snakes and snake owners have gotten a bad rap from the media.“Snakes are adorable,” Volovski said. “They want to come out and be with you. They love attention. They don’t shed hair and they don’t bark. So many people are afraid of them because of the media, but statistics show that about two people die every five years from snake attacks. Meanwhile, horses kill 440 people every two years and dogs kill 31 people per year.”Perry said that he adores his snakes.“They say a snake cannot show you love, but I don’t believe that,” Perry said. “These snakes want to hang around with you all day.”Volovski said snakes are not mean or vicious.“Most of the time when you hear about snake attacks it’s the owners’ fault because they did not properly feed the snake,” she said. “We, along with other snake owners in the state, are fighting together to get this ban shot down.”

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