Venomous snake bites dog, leading to ‘treacherous’ mountaintop rescue, officials say

An unusual rescue played out on a Connecticut mountaintop when a suddenly immobile dog had to be carried across “extremely treacherous” terrain, officials say.

It was discovered the pet’s paralysis was due to a venomous bite, according to the Hamden Animal Control.

“He was bitten by a copperhead snake!” the department posted on Facebook.

It happened Wednesday, June 12, at Sleeping Giant State Park, which covers two miles of rugged mountaintop. The park is about about a 10-mile drive north from New Haven.

The dog’s journey off the mountain started in the arms of rescuers before it was transferred to a stretcher, photos show.

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

Details of the dog’s encounter with the snake were not revealed.

Northern copperheads are pit vipers with a venom “that causes the breakdown of red blood cells,” according to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. They grow to 3 feet in length and even newborns “have fully functional fangs capable of injecting venom that is just as toxic as an adult’s venom,” the institute says.

“This is just a reminder to be careful out there, there are Northern Copperheads at Sleeping Giant,” Hamden Animal Control wrote on Facebook.

“Their habitat includes rocky hillsides, open woods, as well as edges of swamps and meadows.”