Mojave Green Snake Needs More Respect

Re “Rattlers Vent Their Venom” (Nov. 26): Now it’s my turn to vent my venom. In his most informative story, Berkley Hudson talks of the dangers of certain snake bites. He talks about “the world’s most poisonous.” This is the Mojave green.

The Mojave green’s venom can kill a dog in minutes. I know. One got into my back yard and killed Lacie, my best four-legged friend. Several months later, another got into my yard and bit another of my elkhounds. Duke was lucky. We had antihistamine in the house, supplied by the vet following the attack on Lacie. We gave Duke the injection then rushed him to the vet. The antihistamine and the doctor saved him.

My wife is originally from the San Fernando Valley. I’m from New York. Neither of us knew anything of snake danger in Palmdale. After Lacie was killed, I tearfully asked the builder and developer to warn people of the infestation of Mojaves. The developer told me people who live in the desert know about snakes.

This is dangerous thinking. Most of my neighbors are unaware of snake danger. Most of my neighbors have pets in their yard. Many have children who play in the yard.

STUART A. CANNOLD

Palmdale