OGDEN, Utah — Wildlife officials caution people to be mindful of snakes after the death of a dog reportedly bitten by a rattlesnake Sunday night.
The dog was at Beuss Pond in Ogden when he went into the bushes and came out with a hurt leg.
A veterinarian said the bite marks on the dog’s leg were consistent with a rattlesnake bite.
Officials from the Division of Wildlife Resources said snakes are usually near water sources around this time of year looking for food.
People are reminded to avoid snakes as much as possible, even if they’re dead, DWR officials said.
“What most people don’t realize is that once you kill a snake it’s still alive and can strike for 24 hours,” said Krissy Wilson with DWR. “So if you see a snake in the road and it’s dead and you bend over to take a look at it, there’s a good chance you could still get bit — and we know of many cases where that has happened.”
Wilson said the best way to avoid a snake bite is to be aware of one’s surroundings and to stay away from snakes.
The reason people usually get bitten, Wilson said, is because they’re not aware of the snake or someone is harassing it.
