Dog rescued after being bitten by a copperhead snake during hike

HAMDEN, Conn. (WFSB/Gray News) – A dog was rescued from a state park in Connecticut after it was bitten by a copperhead snake, according to animal control.

At the time of the rescue on Wednesday, the dog’s owner believed the pet suffered a leg injury at Sleeping Giant State Park.

The dog had to be carried to safety on a stretcher down treacherous terrain by firefighters, Hamden Animal Control officers, a Good Samaritan, and its owner.

However, on Friday, animal control confirmed that the dog’s leg injury was actually a snake bite.

“He was administered anti-venom and is being monitored,” Hamden Animal Control said in a Facebook post. “Let’s all hope for a full recovery.”

Animal control is reminding pet owners that there are northern copperheads at Sleeping Giant State Park.

Hamden Animal Control Supervisor Barbara Godejohn said rocky hillsides, open woods, along with the edges of swamps and meadows are places where you could run into copperheads.

“Just be aware of where you’re stepping before you step. Wear high top boots to protect yourself, they’re low to the ground,” Godejohn said. “Keep your pets close to you. This is something that’s probably not avoidable. If you’re going to take your pet hiking, make sure you have the proper equipment and maybe have a snake bite kit with you, if you know you’re going to an area where venomous snakes are going to be.”

The other venomous snake in the state is the timber rattlesnake, which the state considers endangered.

Both the copperhead and rattlesnake do not have widespread distributions, according to the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP).

DEEP also said that all the snake species in the state are not aggressive and will only bite if threatened or handled.

“If left alone, snakes pose no threat to people,” DEEP said.

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