Petition calls on Hume Council to offer free snake removal service on private land

A SNAKE catcher isn’t sat-hiss-fied with people in Hume being charged to have the reptiles removed from private properties.

Snake catcher Jarrod Bingham wants people in Hume not to be charged to have snakes removed from their property. Picture: Rob Leeson.

A SNAKE catcher isn’t sat-hiss-fied with people in Hume being charged to have the reptiles removed from their property.

Jarrod Bingham is calling on Hume Council not to be cold-blooded and offer the service for free in line with Wyndham, Melton, Brimbank and Hobsons Bay.

He has launched a petition, which currently has more than 40 signatures.

“Hume is home to some of the deadliest snakes on the planet,” he said.

“At times the rate of human and snake conflict is quite high with the potential of devastating consequences not only to the snake and humans but to pets as well.”

Mr Bingham said satisfaction with council would also increase because residents get an extra service for their rates.

He said the most call-outs, usually 400 a year, were for snakes in Sunbury, Greenvale and Mickleham.

A snake removal service could between $100 and $250, he said.

The snakes common to the area include the Eastern Brown Snake, Red-Bellied Black Snake, Eastern Tiger, Little Whip, Lowland Copperhead and the White-Lipped Snake, according to Hume Council.

Hume sustainable infrastructure and services director Peter Waite said due to “resourcing implications” the council wasn’t able to assist in managing snakes and other wildlife-related issues on private property.

“Council is committed to creating an environment free of wildlife-related risks to the community and manages all snakes found on council-owned or managed land,” he said.

The council received five reports about snakes on council-owned or managed land over the summer.

Mr Waite said there was no indication snake populations this season were higher than previous years.

CLICK HERE to sign the petition.