Tragedy

Well, seems like there are a lot of things happening already this year.

A fellow breeder in Philadelphia was meeting a potential customer for a sale of 20 animals. It is not known if he met up with his customer or not, but he was shot in the chest and his car stolen. The snakes were taken with the car, but the car crashed into a pole and the suspect fled on foot.

http://www.blogger.com/goog_848099436
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/01/23/police-hunt-gunman-after-man-shot-during-snake-sale-in-philadelphia-parking-lot/

"A 38-year-old snake breeder who was shot in Ridley Township while trying to sell 20 pythons worth about $12,000 is a computer software engineer from Douglassville who has a snake-breeding business on the side.

Mark L. Haas remains in intensive care with a collapsed lung at Crozer-Chester Medical Center after being shot Sunday in the parking lot of Woodlyn Shopping Center, said Ridley Police Lt. Scott Willoughby. His injuries are not life-threatening, he said.

Haas was supposed to sell the snakes to a buyer from New York, but police still do not know if the deal went bad or Haas was the victim of a random carjacking.

The suspect took off in Haas' car with two boxes of snakes inside and eventually hit a pole in Folsom, then ran away. Willoughby said police found the car and removed the boxes - one containing 20 baby pythons and the other a five- or six-foot python - back to the police station so they would not freeze.

Haas' girlfriend picked up the snakes and took them back to his breeding facility, he said.
A website for Haas' company, Shinja, says he breeds pythons and poison arrow dart frogs, with the snakes selling for up to $20,000."


I know Mark only thru the internet and not well, but I dread the possibility that this could happen again to anyone, especially someone I am familiar with.

He should be fine, thank goodness.

Please remember that this industry is close-knit, and that stuff like this can happen. No matter what, there are crazy and illegitimate people out there trying to manipulate and steal things.  I am very sorry to hear what happened to Mark, and let's take this as a learning experience.

1) Do not meet up with anyone alone. Even in a public place, it can be unsafe.
2) Make sure someone knows where you are going, even if they aren't going with you.
3) Meet up during the day with a friend to accompany you.
4) When in doubt, SHIP.

If you can think of any other tricks, please share and comment below. Let's all stay safe out there.

Have a great day, my friends.