Father uses laundry basket to save the family puppy from deadly snake attack

A Moreton Bay family has recalled the terrifying moment a 1.8m python tried to squeeze the life from their 10 week-old puppy, and the surprising weapon they used to fight it off.

A family north of Brisbane has relived a traumatising attack which almost killed their 10-week-old puppy.

At 9.30pm on February 2, Samford Valley’s Annie Lane took her two dogs, 10-week-old black labradoodle puppy Charlie and adult miniature schnoodle Harry, outside before bed.

As the dogs were called back up the stairs to the house, Mrs Lane and her husband Peter, noticed a 1.8m python lying at the foot of the stairs.

Harry ran straight over the python to go back upstairs, but Charlie, curious, stopped and sniffed it.

In a split second, as Mrs Lane described it, the python bit Charlie on the nose and forehead and began wrapping itself around the puppy.

In an act fuelled by adrenaline, Mr Lane raced from the laundry door — armed with a laundry basket — and beat the python several times before it released its tight grip and took off.

The curiosity of 10-week-old Labradoodle Charlie almost got her killed, when a massive python wrapped itself around her. Picture: Contributed

“It was a traumatising attack,” Mrs Lane said.

“If a python wraps itself around something once, it’s not a full grip but twice, it can be all over and cause crush injuries.

“It had only wrapped itself around her (Charlie) once.

“We’re all terrified to walk down the stairs now.

“If we hadn't been there she would’ve been dead.”

Mrs Lane’s autistic teenage son spurred into action, calling the vet before they took Charlie, with blood pouring from her head and nose, to an emergency vet at Albany Creek.

Vets told the Lanes that if the python had wrapped itself around Charlie twice, the tight grip would’ve crushed and killed her.

Charlie fortunately only needed to be placed on antibiotics for five days and has another check-up tomorrow.

The Lane family is very thankful for the actions of father Peter, who saved their puppy from a deadly snake attack. Picture: Contributed

“She is fine, she’s a bit unwell but that’s from the antibiotics,” Mrs Lane said.

“We haven’t seen the python since.

“She’s not a small 10-week-old puppy but that snake could’ve killed her without a doubt.

“Pythons aren’t venomous but carry a lot of germs in their mouth.”

For Mrs Lane this attack hit even closer to home because of her work as the director and founder of Whole Self Independent Life Learning, a therapy based program to assist teenagers with ASD and ADHD, through their therapy dog program.

Mrs Lane said the attack served as a reminder for pet owners, especially in rural areas, to keep a close eye on their furry friends.