A Schaapkraal mom says she and her three-year-old son are lucky to be alive after their dog saved them from a Cape Cobra that was ready to strike.
Farieda Fadien, 26, was at home with her son, Mahmoed, her husband Abdul, and their three-month-old baby on Wednesday morning when Roxy, their pit bull, went into labour and delivered nine puppies.
But moments later Roxy became unsettled and started barking.
“My dog, Roxy, gave birth to nine puppies,” Farieda explains.
“She was lying outside, underneath my window and I heard a commotion.
“Roxy began barking frantically. I had my three-year-old in my arms and walked to the back door and I saw a cobra in front of me.
“It was standing up, hood raised, ready to charge at me.”
The quick-thinking mom made a U-turn and ran back inside the house, and at the same time, a brave Roxy, probably fearing for the lives of her pups, attacked and bit the 1.5m-long slang dead.
INTRUDER: The dead Cape Cobra
Farieda says Abdul chopped the snake’s off with a spade just to make sure it was really dead.
“Roxy actually killed the snake by attacking it,” she says.
This is not the first time the family has been confronted by a Cape Cobra on their farm.
“I have four children and they love the outdoors and now we are very scared,” Farieda says.
“Four years ago we had a cobra inside the house.”
Again, Abdul was on hand with his trusted spade and cut its head off.
SCARY: The toddler and his mom, Farieda Fadien, faced a deadly Cape Cobra at their Schaapkraal home
Meanwhile, experts warn as the weather heats up, it will be mating season for snakes.
“It is summertime now and they are starting to come out and it is mating season,” says snake expert, Freddie Q.
“The snake repellent powders don’t work, not even brake fluid.”
He urges mense to keep their property clear of rubble so that snakes can’t find a hiding place and it will also make it easier to spot a slithering intruder.
“If a snake is spotted, keep your dogs and cats and children away, call the police, SPCA, Cape Nature and the Fire Department and they will call us or another expert to remove the snake.”
He says any water features, and a rat or mouse infestation can draw snakes to a property.
If you need assistance, please contact Freddie on
082 476 2467.