Snake stalks and eats pet dog

A 16-foot python stalked a family dog for days before swallowing the pet whole in front of horrified children in Australia.

A boy and girl, aged five and seven, watched as the scrub python devoured their silky terrier-chihuahua cross at their home near Kuranda, northwest of Cairns in Queensland state.

Stuart Douglas, owner of the Australian Venom Zoo in Kuranda, said scrub pythons eat wild animals such as wallabies, a smaller relative of the kangaroo, but turn to pets in urban areas.

“It actively stalked the dog for a number of days,” Mr Douglas said.

The snake was today still digesting the dog at Mr Douglas’ zoo and was due to be relocated to the bush.