I am female and love snakes...had one in my front flower garden for years, than one day found it without head attached to body. One of the dogs probably didn’t like it...snakes in your garden are good luck....
One day the neighbor was wandering in the common area out back and saw my black snake.
He went home and got a shovel and came into my yard and killed it.
I told him next time he did anything like that ~ e.g. attack my snapping turtles, or squirrels, or blue jays, or foxes, or anything on my lot, or near my lot, I'd have him arrested and sent to prison.
He laughed.
But, I didn't have to do anything. Within weeks his Feeding Station For His Dog was overrun with rats and mice!
Then we had a cicada arrival ~ his house was surrounded with ancient maple trees ~ there were MILLIONS of them boiling up around there. The old labrador ate them until he was totally gorged, then had some sort of really serious intestinal problem ~ for which the veterinarian bills were incredible ~ and he died.
I felt sad for the labrador getting abused like that by that idiot all those years. Still, I'm sure he thought I poisoned his dog.
I agree with you - I just saw a huge garter snake in my perennial bed yesterday. I tried to catch it, but it went through the fence too fast. It was fat too - I hope it is female and going to have babies!