IN an inspiring act of bravery, a Richards Bay woman tackled a mammoth African rock python to save her young fox terrier cross from its deathly grip.
At 7am on Saturday, Arboretum resident Denny Bramford thought it was just going to be another regular day with her nine-month-old dog, Kaptein, barking at the monkeys in the green belt facing her back yard.
But the dog suddenly went quiet and when Bramford stepped outside she found a massive snake had wrapped itself around her ‘baby’.
With only the terrier’s back legs sticking out, she decided to save her dog’s life, and grabbed Kaptein’s legs to pull him from the reptile’s tight grasp.
When this attempt failed, Bramford courageously took hold of the powerful python’s tail and yanked it.
She finally succeeded to uncoil the snake, however, it reacted by attacking Bramford, biting her three times in her right index and middle fingers as well as her right leg.
Next door neighbours, Jan and Carol Ellis, rushed Bramford to Netcare The Bay Hospital before taking Kaptein to the Arboretum Veterinarian Hospital.
Against all odds, both Bramford and Kaptein survived with only minor injuries.
The snake’s teeth incisions were covered in anti-bacterial ointment and wrapped in bandages while the young dog only suffered bruising to his soficus (part of the throat).
Richards Bay snake wrangler Zephian Alberts was called out to catch the python, but it had already disappeared into the green belt.
Downplaying her amazing courage as an ‘act of instinct’ at the hospital on Saturday, Bramford said she just had to save her ‘baby’.
‘I had a Jack Russel who suddenly went missing in December and I’m now realising that she was taken by this same snake!
‘The brute would not take Kaptein from me too.’
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HEAD: Bay woman fights mega python to save dog
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After Alberts investigated Bramford’s garden to see where the snake had entered her yard, he found a hole in the ground near the fence and trail marks in the grass indicating that it had been ‘coming and going’ for long period of time.
‘This is an alpha snake and Denny is truly a very brave lady,’ said Alberts.
‘From her description of the snake and by the looks of its trail marks, I believe it is about four metres long.
Alberts sent out a stern warning to Richards Bay residents.
‘It’s incredibly important that people realise these snakes are preparing for hibernation.
‘Keep your gardens neat and tidy.
‘Clear any rubble in your yards so you can see if a snake is out there posing a danger to your animals or children.
‘Be especially weary if you have small dogs, pet rabbits or chickens.
‘Last week I caught a 2.5 metre python in Birdswood which regurgitated three white pet bunnies as I drove over a hump on the way out of town to release it.’
Bramford agreed with Alberts cautioning, and she hoped people will learn from her daunting experience.
‘I hope my story will help create awareness that if pet owners have lost a small animal, the culprit could have been one of these giant snakes.
‘I’m also just so grateful to Jan and Carol for everything they’ve done for me.
‘They’re my heroes.
‘I’m holding thumbs Zephian catches it. I have a date with it.’
Amused, Jan Ellis replied, ‘I think you’ve already had your date with it, Denny’.
