An online petition against Wyndham council’s decision to cut its free snake removal service picked up nearly 900 signatures in one week.
The service costs $30,000 a year and ends next month.
The council will introduce a new service from September next year, but Wyndham residents will have to fork out $150 for a professional handler to trap and remove snakes from properties.
The council will still pay a professional to remove snakes from council land if there is an immediate risk to the public, such as in schools and playgrounds.
Point Cook mother-of-two Sarah Auletta started her petition on change.org last Tuesday and says she has since been advised that the council will not budge on its decision.
“The removal of this service is of great concern to everyone’s safety. It’s simply negligent of Wyndham council to even consider its removal,” she said.
“With the removal of the free service, people are probably less likely to pay for someone to remove a snake and are more likely to attempt to remove [it] themselves, increasing the risk of being bitten. This is unacceptable. Let’s make them change their minds.”
A council report said requests to remove snakes from private properties rose from 115 in the 2012-13 snake season (September-April) to 163 in 2013-14.
The report attributed the rise to new housing estates encroaching on snake habitat and the creation of lakes near residential areas.
Councillors Marie Brittan, Intaj Khan and Bob Fairclough had initial concerns about an increase in snake bites once the new user-pays system comes into play and as residents try to remove snakes themselves.
“My view, personally, is that $30,000 is not a lot of money to keep our community safe from snakes,” Cr Khan told Star Weekly.
“If the petition does come back to council and the issue is raised again for debate, I’d be happy to support it.”
Cr Heather Marcus was the only councillor to vote against cutting the free service.
“We’ve had problems at kindergartens and problems with snakes coming through people’s backyards,” Cr Marcus said.
