A two-year-old Pomeranian named Ferrari has narrowly escaped a coastal carpet python's jaws in a terrifying tussle at a Queensland beach.
Sunshine Coast woman Amanda Taylor was walking Ferrari at the Noosa Woods dog beach this morning with two other dogs, including another Pomeranian and a Bull Arab Mastiff cross.
They were about to enter the water when Ms Taylor heard Ferrari yelp in pain.
"I looked down and I just couldn't believe my eyes," she said.
"This snake had gone between the big dog, the [other] little dog and myself and just grabbed my little dog on the head … and then just wrapped around him really quickly.
"It was just unbelievable how fast it happened … it was like an alien movie."
Ms Taylor said she knew she had to act fast as the python, which was about 3.5 metres long, was suffocating him.
"I reached down quietly to grab this snake by the tail and just started shaking it and shaking," she said.
"My shakes were getting bigger and bigger … then all of a sudden it started unravelling and the poor dog went flying up in the air and running off down the beach.
"I sort of back swung the snake and then just hurled it out into the river."
The attack happened in front of other beachgoers, who initially watched on in silence and shock.
"Everyone said, 'Oh my gosh, we thought it was like a big stick', but then they realised I was chucking this big snake out," Ms Taylor said.
"I said 'Can you try and grab him [Ferarri] as he's just been attacked by a snake?' and then all of a sudden everybody started moving."
A 'real snake wrestler'
Kirsty Williamson was on the beach and among those who witnessed the attack.
She said she grabbed a stick to try to hit the snake, but Ms Taylor was a "real snake wrestler".
"You know, it's her little dog in the snake's mouth, but she acted so quickly," Ms Williamson said.
"I would hate to think what might have happened had it been just like a few seconds longer … it just felt like she really nailed that situation and saved her dog — she was like Steve Irwin."
Ms Taylor said the other Pomeranian, Rusty, and the Bull Arab Mastiff Cross, Raja, kept guard over the snake in the water.
She grabbed Ferrari, who was bleeding from the head, and wrapped him in a towel.
"The snake sort of just went straight back to shore and went straight under the roots of this tree … and it was all over," she said.
Ms Williamson, a clinical psychologist, helped comfort Ms Taylor and has been in contact with her since.
"I guess the reality is in an area like that, be mindful and respectful of the native creatures there," Ms Williamson said.
"I think we have to be careful but at the same time, it's not something that happens all the time."
Second pet to become prey
While attacks like this are uncommon, Ferrari's close call came within a week of a similar incident at Boreen Point, also in the Noosa region.
Nadia Hackling said she was inside her home when she discovered her nine-week-old kitten Boots "a minute away from death, and screaming".
"I walked downstairs and there was Boots with a three-metre python wrapped around him," she said.
"The kitten was on its back — it's whole body wrapped up.
Ms Hackling said the python was docile as she held its head down with a shovel and unravelled Boots from its grip.
Her neighbour Mike Beuerman rushed over to help.
"There was panic when I arrived," Mr Beuerman.
"It was terrifying … the kids were screaming their heads off."
Mr Beuerman said he relocated the python and could not believe it when another smaller python was found in the same part of the house the following day.
"I've had red-bellied blacks and brown snakes in my front yard and I just had a six-inch baby tiger snake when I was mowing the lawn," he said.
"I've seen a lot more snakes there [at Boreen Point] than I have anywhere else in the world."
Boots has since made a full recovery.
