Snake catcher in hospital after call-out to deadly species goes horribly wrong

A well-known Aussie snake catcher with a huge following on social media has been hospitalised after a call-out went horribly wrong — and it was all captured on a live stream video.

Tony and Brooke Harrison, of Harrison’s Gold Coast and Brisbane Snake Catchers, were responding to a job in Logan involving two eastern brown snakes — which are among the most venomous creatures on the planet — when Mr Harrison was bitten just before 2.30pm on Sunday.

Thousands view incident during live stream

The dramatic incident was broadcast live on Facebook to the couple's more than 100,000 followers, though it was later deleted.

The duo had been attempting to separate and remove the two snakes, which were mating at the time, when Mr Harrison was bitten, Seven News reported.

It's understood Mr Harrison was rushed to Logan Hospital in a serious condition following the bite, but as of Monday morning is now stable, according to Queensland Ambulance.

Initial reports suggested that Mr Harrison's wife Brooke was also bitten, and required hospitalisation, but it's now believed she was taken for observation after having "collapsed" — suffering from exhaustion and stress a number of hours after the incident occurred.

Tony Harrison awaiting further treatment

Ms Harrison told The Courier Mail that her husband had two of the eastern brown snakes "in his hands" at the time he was bitten. It's expected the snake catcher may require a kidney dialysis.

"Been a rough 24 hours," he said, 7 News reported. "My bloods are turning for the better now."

The duo had both previously suffered bites from deadly snakes in the past, with Mr Harrison having been bitten by an eastern brown snake in 2019, while Ms Harrison was hospitalised as a precaution last year following a non-venomous bite from a red-bellied black snake.

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