Snake Catcher Victoria
Almost Legendary
http://www.theage.com.au/national/g...snakebite-standoff-20090314-8yi0.html?page=-1
I was just sent this article.
How would you 'cover up' an envenomation from a viper?
Gimme aussie elapids anyday.
Giant boas, deadly vipers and a snakebite stand-off
A deadly North American western diamondback albino rattlesnake. Photo: Ben Rushton
DOCTORS who do not dob in the collectors of banned deadly snakes who seek treatment after being bitten are putting the public at risk, according to Victoria's senior wildlife cop.
Keith Larner says he is fed up with doctors treating snakebite victims under a veil of secrecy, and wants them to alert authorities if the patient is the owner of an illegal exotic reptile.
He said while he respected doctor-patient confidentiality, medics who refused to provide the names of such patients to the Department of Sustainability and Environment were irresponsible.
Doctors are not required to report cases of snakebite, but Mr Larner believes they have a duty to help authorities prevent members of the public from being put at risk of deadly snakes that have either escaped or been dumped by bored owners.
"If people have got cobras, vipers, rattlesnakes … held illegally in their houses, we want to know about it and, yes, we will take out a search warrant and, yes, we will go to those houses and seize those collections and prosecute the people for having them," Mr Larner said.
"With some of these deadly venomous animals there is no anti-venene available in Australia. So it's a very high risk for DSE officers who go to people's houses to search for these creatures and also for police, firemen and ambulance officers who may … attend these premises."
He said DSE officers working in the field were hearing about snakebite incidents and it was frustrating that doctors were refusing to hand over the names "or even the numbers of people being bitten or the suburbs where these snakes are being kept".
"They might say they want people to feel free to come forward to get treatment but I think doctors also have an obligation to protect the rest of the community from being attacked by reptiles such as rattlesnakes.
"People have handed in boa constrictors they've found in the park big enough to eat cats, dogs and small children."
In one recent case, a Carrum woman, 42, was charged after two boa constrictors — native to Central and South America — were found in her home on March 5.
It is illegal in Australia to possess, breed or trade exotic reptiles and the woman faces up to five years' jail and a $110,000 fine.
Between 2000 and 3000 people are bitten by snakes each year in Australia, although only about 1000 bites are inflicted by venomous snakes.
The Australian Medical Association's state vice-president, Dr Harry Hemley, said doctors' primary concern was for their patients' health.
"Doctors are obliged to safeguard the confidentiality of the patient and to ensure the patient has access to appropriate health care," he said.
"This doctor-patient confidentiality must be maintained. Exceptions to this are taken very seriously and would only occur if there was a serious risk to the patient or another person, or where a doctor is required by law to pass on information, for things like communicable diseases. Doctors are not currently obliged to report snake bites and would hesitate to break doctor-patient confidentiality. We'd hate for anyone to avoid getting medical care for fear of being prosecuted by the DSE."
Mr Larner said he was disappointed with doctors' attitudes because it was not in the public interest.
"People (who keep exotic reptiles) are lawbreakers and these doctors who treat them should be doing something to help the rest of the community," he said.
"It's not about us taking people to court. It's about getting rid of these pests before they escape."
I was just sent this article.
How would you 'cover up' an envenomation from a viper?
Gimme aussie elapids anyday.
Giant boas, deadly vipers and a snakebite stand-off
- Mark Russell
- March 15, 2009
DOCTORS who do not dob in the collectors of banned deadly snakes who seek treatment after being bitten are putting the public at risk, according to Victoria's senior wildlife cop.
Keith Larner says he is fed up with doctors treating snakebite victims under a veil of secrecy, and wants them to alert authorities if the patient is the owner of an illegal exotic reptile.
He said while he respected doctor-patient confidentiality, medics who refused to provide the names of such patients to the Department of Sustainability and Environment were irresponsible.
Doctors are not required to report cases of snakebite, but Mr Larner believes they have a duty to help authorities prevent members of the public from being put at risk of deadly snakes that have either escaped or been dumped by bored owners.
"If people have got cobras, vipers, rattlesnakes … held illegally in their houses, we want to know about it and, yes, we will take out a search warrant and, yes, we will go to those houses and seize those collections and prosecute the people for having them," Mr Larner said.
"With some of these deadly venomous animals there is no anti-venene available in Australia. So it's a very high risk for DSE officers who go to people's houses to search for these creatures and also for police, firemen and ambulance officers who may … attend these premises."
He said DSE officers working in the field were hearing about snakebite incidents and it was frustrating that doctors were refusing to hand over the names "or even the numbers of people being bitten or the suburbs where these snakes are being kept".
"They might say they want people to feel free to come forward to get treatment but I think doctors also have an obligation to protect the rest of the community from being attacked by reptiles such as rattlesnakes.
"People have handed in boa constrictors they've found in the park big enough to eat cats, dogs and small children."
In one recent case, a Carrum woman, 42, was charged after two boa constrictors — native to Central and South America — were found in her home on March 5.
It is illegal in Australia to possess, breed or trade exotic reptiles and the woman faces up to five years' jail and a $110,000 fine.
Between 2000 and 3000 people are bitten by snakes each year in Australia, although only about 1000 bites are inflicted by venomous snakes.
The Australian Medical Association's state vice-president, Dr Harry Hemley, said doctors' primary concern was for their patients' health.
"Doctors are obliged to safeguard the confidentiality of the patient and to ensure the patient has access to appropriate health care," he said.
"This doctor-patient confidentiality must be maintained. Exceptions to this are taken very seriously and would only occur if there was a serious risk to the patient or another person, or where a doctor is required by law to pass on information, for things like communicable diseases. Doctors are not currently obliged to report snake bites and would hesitate to break doctor-patient confidentiality. We'd hate for anyone to avoid getting medical care for fear of being prosecuted by the DSE."
Mr Larner said he was disappointed with doctors' attitudes because it was not in the public interest.
"People (who keep exotic reptiles) are lawbreakers and these doctors who treat them should be doing something to help the rest of the community," he said.
"It's not about us taking people to court. It's about getting rid of these pests before they escape."
