This video of an Australian bloke swimming with a snake while sucking on a beer stubby may have tickled the #Straya fraternity on social media this week, but it is no laughing matter according to the RSPCA.
The Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage Protection said in a statement that it was liaising with police in relation to the incident.
The clip, which has gone viral, shows a Gold Coast man wading in chest deep water at Tallebudgera Creek in Queensland while drinking a beer. He is seen picking up a snake, which is reportedly his pet, and throwing it back into the drink. The python swims back up to him, only to be picked up and tossed back again.
Michael Beatty, a spokesman for the RSPCA, told the ABC the act may be deemed as animal cruelty and the pet owner could be in breach of his snake-owner’s licence.
“It is cruel, but it’s also gross stupidity rather than deliberate animal cruelty,” Beatty said.
“I’m sure the person concerned basically believes he loves his snake.”
Although snakes are often seen swimming in the wild, it is not a common behaviour and the snake in the video would very likely be in distress, according to Beatty.
“Although snakes will occasionally go in the water, it’s not something they do or particularly like on a regular basis,” he said.
“That snake would just be trying to get out of the water as quickly as possible and the man is its means of just getting out of the water.”