Rattlesnake safety in Southern Colorado [Video]

(SOUTHERN COLORADO) — Summer is finally here, but people are not the only ones enjoying the warm weather–it’s rattlesnake season and they too are bathing in the sunlight.

The Pikes Peak Region is home to rattlesnakes, and a few have already been spotted in several of our parks. Ute Valley Park on the west side of Colorado Springs is known to be home to many of these venomous snakes, and when startled or threatened, they pose a danger to people and pets.

“We see them very frequently in the summertime. There are some nights where we see two or three investigations, rattlesnake bites in a night,” said Dr. Mercedes Maybach, Emergency Veterinarian at Powers Pet Emergency and Specialty.

With summer here, many people are spending time outside with their four-legged friends exploring the beauty of Southern Colorado, but experts say hikers must remember that they are in rattlesnake territory.

“We …