Dog’s warning saves owner from deadly black mamba

Sounding the alarm over the unarmed intruder.

A dog in South Africa proved its good instincts when it protected its owner from a deadly Mamba snake slithering under the couch.

The unnamed owner in Escombe, Queensburgh became concerned last week when his trusty Rottweiler spent two days pushing him away from the couch, snake rescuer and conservationist Nick Evans wrote in a Facebook post Wednesday.

“[The owner] moved the couch, and there was a Black Mamba!” Evans recounted.

Once the couch was moved, Evans wrote, the Rottweiler attempted to charge the unwelcome intruder, but was intercepted and taken outside by the owner.

Evans was then called to the scene, where he described the 7.2-foot snake as a “quick and easy catch.”

Black mambas are slim, brown-colored, and highly venomous snakes that become extremely aggressive when threatened. According to National Geographic, an untreated bite from a black mamba can prove fatal within just 20 minutes. 

He praised the canine’s protective instincts as “amazing” and concluded the post with a warning to other dog owners to use the Escombe resident’s experience as anexample of how to respond to snake encounters.

“I cannot tell you how many calls I get where people phone me while their dog is attacking the snake, resulting in a dead snake and at least one dead dog,” he explained.

“NEVER let your dog out to kill a snake for you, it often ends badly for the dog too.”

Evans’ advice, in fact, might prove helpful overseas, as well: New York City saw a 69% spike in snake complaints in 2022.

Earlier this month, first responders were tasked with disposing of a 14-foot reticulated python that was found dead on the side of the road on Long Island.