Death Of The World's Finest Dog: My Chihuahua Was Eaten By A Python

[Sheryl]

Please join me in grieving for the finest, bravest little dog that anyone ever owned (and the first I ever had.)

Kadan disappeared 3 days ago between 2 and 4 PM. All that is certain is that he was looking absolutely fine before that, there was a sound of both he and his loyal follower the Pomeranian (my niece's dog) barking off in the woods for a bit, which is not unusual. but then he could be found no more and the Pomeranian appeared utterly terrified and spooked...and has remained so, absolutely unwilling to go outside again ever since, while the cat has also manifested a sudden unwillingness to go outside. Extensive searches of the surrounding woods and neighborhood have turned up absolutely nothing except for obvious grass marks of a very, very large snake. Posters promising reward all over the neighborhood to no effect (and I don't think an abduction would have left the Pom so spooked anyhow).

The woods have been combed and even ponds dredged, no body anywhere.

Left with the conclusion he has been eaten by a python. My house is at the foot of Khao Yai and while I've never seen a python around the house, there are plenty up in there so it is possible.

RIP darling Kadan.......I just wish your end hadn't been such a frightening one. You were a wonderful protector and companion to me and I will never forget you.............. :(

[onnut]

Rip little fellow. Sounds horrible.

My wife has a Pom and I have a Bulldog. After a friends bulldog died from a snake bite I have been more alert.

Sorry to hear about your news.

[sbk]

Sheryl, I am so so sorry to hear that he is gone. You must miss him so terribly.

I know the loss you feel and I feel terrible that your little guy is gone

He was a good dog

[surayu]

So sorry to hear that, i am sure he was a very sweet pet, RIP (Rest In Python)

[baabaabobo]

My 5 year old chihuahua died recently (still don't know how) so I feel for your loss. They are brave little fellows and leave a large empty space for one so small.

[eek]

Oh SheryI my heart goes out to you. What a beautiful dog Kadan was. I was so privileged to meet him when i finaIIy met you. Im Iost for words. So very very sorry.

[moe666]

Sorry to hear about your pet.

[Camelot]

That's terrible news. I feel so sorry for Kadan and for you. Pythons do stalk little dogs.

Our shih-tzu is not allowed out of our compound without supervision and hates his loss of freedom.

And that's in Bangkok where most of the pythons are two-legged.

[Mario2008]

1 off topic post deleted. This is not the place to complain about small dogs.

Sorry to hear about your dog Sheryl, it is always hard to lose a close friend.

[Nienke]

I'm so sorry to read this, Sheryl, you've got my deepest sympathies. Loosing a loved one hurts.

RIP little brave guy.

[WaatWang]

I am so sorry to hear about your loss. He looked like a cutie. I hope his little friend can recover soon as well.

[Sheryl]

Thanks for all the kind messages, means a lot

The pom is far from recovered, ditto me, will take some time

Here are some more pix of my darling little boy

He was around 8 - 10 years old but still youthful with plenty of zest and pep. And, as seems typical of the breed, bravado. Too much of the last as it turns out.

I'm really going to miss him.

[eek]

You cannot tell a personality from a photo, but let me say that everything Sheryl says is true. From the brief time that i spent with Kadan when Sheryl was up my way on a visit, it was wonderful. ..and this coming from a cat person. Kadan danced. He pranced about. He looked to his mummy for reassurance...but was fiercely protective when he sensed any possible danger. I dont recall him barking at all. But i remember him drawing himself up to his full (rather short) height, puffing his chest out, and going rigid with a fixed stare at anyone he thought wasnt ok in his books. Was so very sweet how protective he was of Sheryl. He also drew a lot of attention wherever he went. He was even allowed into a restaurant which had a "no dogs" sign. I imagine because he was so small and cute and so well behaved. Along the street, people would coo at him and give him a pet, and he took the attention in his stride like a little superstar.

Kadan truly was a unique and wonderful little dog. Im so sorry that he is gone, but i know that his life was a full one with Sheryl. Sheryl told me some of the adventures he has had. He was a very loved dog, and he returned that love tenfold. Rest in Peace Kadan. You were indeed very very loved and very very special.

[angiud]

My beautiful cat Lassi was eaten by a Python 3/4 years ago just behind my house in Haad Rin hill. So I understand your grief.

(The third from top)

[Rimmer]

That is so sad Sheryl I am so sorry

I absolutely do not know how we would cope if this happened to one of our of our cats.

[bina]

oy!!! horrible. the worst of course is the imagining that u go through 'did he suffer', etc. ; knowing large pythons personally, i can say that usually those they catch dont suffer too long. unlike snake bites, the python method is short and effective. and at least u know that he isnt just lost alone in the mountains or suffering somewhere unknown from a hit/run. that not knowing and imagining is always worst.

so sad...........

bina

[Sheryl]

WONDERFUL NEWS --- he's alive!!!!!!!

:clap2: :clap2: :clap2:

Altho there is a big snake about, he was not (obviously) eaten by. He was abducted and has been rescued. I do not have the full details yet (I'm in the US) but he is back and was apparently drugged by his abductors. More on that to follow.

My relief and joy are indescribable. Just a day before I had dreamt he was alive and being held prisoner, a very vivid dream, but I thought it was just wish fulfillment.

Now I know my little doggie was sending me messages across time and space :)

[sbk]

Oh,thats wonderful, ok not wonderful he was abducted but wonderful he is still alive. Your little dog must be part cat, with his 9 lives! He's used up a couple now, what with being rescued from the dog meat market in Cambodia you told me about and then this.

[elfe]

ohhh what happy news!!!! he is alive! but very disturbing the horror he went through but he was found again, that is like a miracle! good on your people that they made so much effort which lead to success.

tiny dogs and other pretty pure breds are in danger of being abducted/stolen unfortunately as it seems. so they need extra safety watch and alertness. i never let my tiny dogs alone even in the garden outside when i'm not around. of course they are nosy as can be and lots of harmful critters around.

the tiny dogs are of big personality and wit. can imagine your huge grief and now so happy relief.

here is my little darlin knopfi, he is also a special character could not stand to have anything happened to him. i got him from a petshop where he spent 5 months in a tiny cage no one ever interested in buying him. maybe mainly because he had mange then and his skin was rather pink. with all my dogs, he is the little star

all the best for kadan and no more dangerous adventures for him!

[Sheryl]

ohhh what happy news!!!! he is alive! but very disturbing the horror he went through but he was found again, that is like a miracle! good on your people that they made so much effort which lead to success.

tiny dogs and other pretty pure breds are in danger of being abducted/stolen unfortunately as it seems. so they need extra safety watch and alertness. i never let my tiny dogs alone even in the garden outside when i'm not around. of course they are nosy as can be and lots of harmful critters around.

the tiny dogs are of big personality and wit. can imagine your huge grief and now so happy relief.

here is my little darlin knopfi, he is also a special character could not stand to have anything happened to him. i got him from a petshop where he spent 5 months in a tiny cage no one ever interested in buying him. maybe mainly because he had mange then and his skin was rather pink. with all my dogs, he is the little star

all the best for kadan and no more dangerous adventures for him!

He's adorable, Elfe!!!

Although I always keep Kadan on a leash when in town or in Cambodia, I never thought it necessary in my home in Thailand as I am out in the middle of nowhere, and house set back far from the road, with no other houses in sight...and never imagined that any of the local folk would take him or even know what breed he was. Plus his resale value would be very low if any as he has a long scar on his back (close encounter with a Vietnamese cooking pot in Phnom Penh before I owned him). And indeed in all the years I've had him no one showed the least interest or inclination to mess with him. He's not all that small, actually, he's a full sized Chihuahua not a toy one and can/does put up considerable resistance against strangers.

But indeed it turns out there is in fact someone in the village who would, and did, steal him. The culprit has been identified as a known local "bad character" and apparently did this for the ransom money. Waited 4 days and then called up in a menacing tone saying he had the dog and how much would we pay.

As to how he managed to get Kadan (which is not so easily done, at least not without injury to the perpetrator, as all who know Kadan would attest), based on how the ransom drop/dog exchange was managed, it seems he had an accomplice. Also seemed to have drugged the poor dog into a stupor. Took about 16 hours before he was really conscious again.

Seriously disturbing. I need to figure out how to handle this so as to decrease the risk of his doing the same or other malfeasance to me or mine in future. The last time I had any problem with local "bad guys" like this I solved it by getting Kadan.....

Edited August 20, 2010 by Sheryl

[Nienke]

Oh wow, what a wonderful news that Kadan is alive and kicking (again).

But what a horrible experience for the all of you. I hope things will settle quickly.

[Mario2008]

Great news, I'm very happy for you.

[Patsycat]

Great news!! I hope he bit the kidnapper where it hurts!!

[eek]

Blown away Sheryl. Im so relieved. However, i hope you get this nasty side sorted out, but be safe please.

With regards to keeping track of Kadan if anything like this happens again, what about some kind of chipping device? Would this be feasible there? Is there some kind of chipped gps tracker thingy which you can use personally?

[sbk]

guy is a serious lowlife to do that to a little dog

My husband has this second cousin.....

[Sheryl]

I don't know, has anyone heard of a microchip with a GPS? If so, where can they be gotten? I'd definitelyt get one if I could. For all the pets.

Although it would simplify tracking him down if snatched again it won't resolve the problem of lowlife scum threatening to harm him....I am somehow going to have to find a way to intimidate this creep & his associates. It's not just the dog at issue now, in future could be any of the pets, or me, or my property next, especially since he came out ahead in this round.

Remain puzzled that they would have snatched Kadan and not KingKing (the Pomeranian), Kadan in addition to his scar is old and just would not have much resale value while KingKing would certainly fetch a good price. One theory is that it was KingKing they were originally after but that Kadan defended him so aggressively (and he would) that they were forced to drop the Pom to deal with Kadan and he (Pom) ran back to the house while they were grappling with Kadan so they settled for him instead. Certainly fits Kadan's nature...he doesn't back down or run away, he stands and fights vociferously. They found it necessary to keep hom knocked out the whole 4 days they had him (I shudder to think with what at what dose or it's long term effects...) and even then took 2 people to transport him to the ransom exchange site

One unexpected boon to all this is that the Cat (AKA Mistress of the House/Queen of the Universe) who previously would not tolerate the dog being inside now allows it. She seems to understand what happened....!

[Sheryl]

Well no responses re the GPS but I have done extensive web research myself and it seems to be not yet in existence -- GPS pet microchip, that is. There are many pet tracking devices you can get that attach to a collar. But a thief/kidnapper will of course just remove that. And there are the implantable microchips, but these will not locate a lost animal unless someone finds the animal and then scans the chip and contacts you, again not applicable to a theft/kidnapping.

Hopefully one will be developed soon. Meanwhile I continue to mull over various actions to take to deter repeat criminality given that the perpetrator is at large in the village and, having come out ahead from this heinous act, may well decide to target me again in future be it for pet kidnapping or other malfeasance....

Edited August 22, 2010 by Sheryl

[mistitikimikis]

I am sure that there are GPS-solutions, but might be not in LOS. In Europe they are using already a long time GPS to avoid theft of expensive cars and even for VIPS (implanted in the body) to be able to trace them after a kidnap.

Not too long ago I was lucky to go into the garden an evening, finding a Python just next to the door praying I think at the dogs at just three meters distance (in Bangkok's suburbs): http://www.antoni-uni-photography.com/Fauna-Antoniuni/serpents/Python/11657018_AioR3#944341476_3uiwE-A-LB

[neverdie]

Wow Sheryl, You are certainly lucky to get him back, although I'm not sure how you actually did that. What a mongrel thing to do.

I hope this grub is dealt with appropriately.

Im glad the snake wasnt the end of ur dog because its really not a pleasant way to go.

Ive only just saw this thread & it was only a couple of months ago we were over at a relatives (she has quite a few cats) and we were all inside eating when we heard a strange cat cry. One of the girls went outside to see what was going on while the rest of us continued to eat & the next thing I hear is the girl screaming. We all ran out into the yard and saw a really big Python was in the process of strangling one of the cats.

One of the uncles picked up a pipe and started bashing the python on the head, meanwhile the body of the python was thrashing around intent on squeezing the life out of the cat. This was a huge snake, big enough to crush a man to death & the cat disappeared in the coil of all of this, the uncle was thrashing at the snake, the snake bashing around, me trying to finish the chicken leg I was chewing on (without gaging), half a dozen ladies running around squealing, dogs barking and numerous onlookers appearing from just about every nook and crevis.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, the uncle bashed the python to death and we prised the lifeless cat from the snakes coil & just as I was about to pronounce life extinct, the cat too a massive deep breath & as it exhaled air, it tore up the side of the uncle, onto his shoulders and into a tree where it commenced to literally scream like a banchee. Its eyes were bulging from its head & every hair that wasnt torn from its body was sticking straight up.

Anway, we got the cat out of the tree & it had blood coming from its eyeballs, ears, mouth, anus & its body was swelling up, it was freaked right out, so we whisked it down to the vet and it spend a few days in the vets. The cat recovered but is virtually too emotionally scarred to go outside, any further than the litterbox on the rear porch.

Lucky cat hey, seems ur fella was lucky too. I must also point out that I never cease to scare the shit out of the cat when its sleeping & I sneak up on it and grab its leg or body - I'm not sure it appreciates my sense of humour either.