Snake Lovers Deserve the Same Respect as You
Your fears are no excuse to be rude.
“Snakes are evil and something’s wrong with you if you like them.”
“I kill every rattlesnake I see.”
“The only good snake is a dead snake.”
“If it comes around me, I’m grabbing a shovel.”
Those of us that love all wildlife (not just the fuzzy and feathered kinds) hear these statements all the time. However, just because these sentiments are the norm doesn’t make them right.
Snakes are one sign of a healthy ecosystem, and some of us are pleased when we are lucky enough to see one. Many of us even spend our time and money to go out looking for them, just like bird-watchers go on birding trips. Like birders, we have lifer lists, social media groups where we share photos, and special gear we carry around. We even pay for appropriate licenses when needed. Nothing about our enjoyment of the animals we love is hurting a soul in the world.
Yet somehow, upon hearing that we like snakes, many people feel compelled to tell us how they just took a machete to one the other day or that the animals we care about should be killed. It’s like it never occurs to them that they are being horrific.
Think for a moment about how you would feel if the tables were turned.
“The only good dog is a dead dog.”
“Cats are evil and something’s wrong with you if you like them.”
“I kill every Labrador Retriever I see.”
“Your dog came into my yard and I didn’t know if it was dangerous, so I shot it.”
If someone said these things to you, would you politely nod your head or would you be outraged? Would you ever speak to that person again? Would you view that person as cruel, rude, and mentally deviant?
Regardless of your immediate reaction, I’d bet you probably wouldn’t put up with someone talking to you like that for very long.
Yet, to the millions of people who have the dubious pleasure of admiring the less-loved creatures of the world, such conversations are the norm. If we admit to simply appreciating these beneficial animals, we have to hear about them being killed or how they are evil. What’s more, if we object to being spoken to in such a fashion, we are branded as kooks (or even slightly demonic in some cultures).
Look, we understand that many people don’t love snakes and other creeping things as much as we do. Many of you have never learned about them and therefore do not appreciate how fascinating and beneficial they are. Many of you think, incorrectly, that snakes are waiting to do you harm. Upon seeing one, many people get an adrenaline rush and are overcome with a fight-or-flight response. We get it.
However, wildlife should not have to die just because you can’t be troubled to educate yourself.
And what’s more, we shouldn’t have to tell you to exhibit some decorum and respect when carrying on a conversation. Even if you only love furry animals, you should still be able to grasp that telling us about an animal you decapitated is not a decent way to talk.
Now, many of us don’t say these things to you because we love these animals enough that we try to hide our anger and power on through the conversation. We understand that yelling at you probably won’t make you like snakes any more than you do now. So, we nod and pretend to understand how someone could be so wantonly cruel. We try to patiently explain why snakes are beneficial. We hope that, if we play by your rules, we may talk some sense into you.
However, we shouldn’t have to do that. You should know better than to kill beneficial animals just because you think it somehow makes you safer. Or, at the very least, you should understand how to respect others and not talk about chopping up wildlife in front of an animal lover.
We don’t come to your house and talk about killing your dog. If you try, you might find that it wouldn’t kill you to treat us with the same respect.
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