Dear friends and dear bretonists,
They say that the dog is the best friend of humans and a snake is how we call our worse enemy. I would like to tell you my true story about 4 epagneul bretons that were part of my family and a ............ snake. For those who don’t know what kind of a reptile is that specific snake under the name (“fina” as is called by Cypriots), i only inform you, as far as i know, that it’s the most poisonous snake in Cyprus.
I woke up early on Sunday the 16th of May like every Sunday to take my dogs out in the nature. Thank God (you will understand further down why i say “Thank God”) that i didn’t have my children with me on that day because many times they come with me just to enjoy a sunny day and the nature with our bretons.
As i arrived to the place were i keep all the dog’s cages, the view i had with my 2 friends was shocking. For many of you it might sound exaggeration but for those that they had at least similar experience they will understand what i am speaking about.
One of my dogs was already dead and with a distorting head (the size of its head was at least double the size) obviously was bitten by the snake several times on the head. The other 2 were in comma with the same disorder on the head and my favorite female dog terrified and with a desperate look on her face was high up on the cage, where they used to sleep, trying to survive from the attack. Unfortunately she has been bitten too on the lower part of her chest as i realised later.
We had to enter the cage so we can rush the dogs immediately to the vet but the vicious snake didn’t let us enter as tried to attack again, it looks like it wasn’t satisfied with the attacks to the dogs and was starving for more flesh, i mean humans. Eventually with a lot of difficulties we killed it.
I gave to the 3 dogs a medicine that i had stored for emergency and rush them to the vet.
Unfortunately few hours later the dogs passed away, my vet Mr. K. Konstantinou which i’m very grateful to him, he tried his best to save my dogs. I will never forget the expressions on their faces, especially my favorite one, as i arrived to the cage, they were looking at me as if they were asking for help and on the other hand i could see the fear in their eyes from the attack they just had.
I truly wish that this tragedy don’t happen to anyone, as i know the feeling and how painful it is to see your 3 dogs suffering and one of them dead. No matter how many years will pass i will never forget this picture that i have in my head and my 4 dogs will always stay in my memory. Now, i have some photos of the incident and with all the respect to my dogs i was in a dilemma to publish the photos or not, finally i felt that i am obliged to do it so to save other dogs or even humans by letting them know what can happen if they are not very careful. I’m also publishing photos of that poisonous snake and take a good look just in case you see one in frond of you to know what you might face.
I wrote this article for only one reason, i want all the dog owners to know that when they go out to enjoy a sunny day, the nature or even for practicing their dogs for the new hunting season, just be very careful and in case you meet that snake just make what you have to make for your safety and the safety of your dogs.
Ι wouldn’t like to finish this true story with the previous paragraph but I can tell you that I found a female breton which is a child of my favorite female breron and indeed looks very much like her as it has the same color and the way it behaves and moves, almost identical. I've already given to the new member of my family the name of my beloved dog as a little prove of appreciation for the memorable moments she gave us this wonderful breton but also as a promise that i will never forget CLERY and the other three bretons that we were together on that day.
Christos Yiallouros
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