Jane is having some bitter feelings about “man’s best friend.”
Deadly snakes, Satanic porn, and beer: Jane Harris leads a dangerous life. And that’s even before we consider the people in her life. Although some of them don’t exactly qualify as people. But what teenage girl worries about danger? All Jane wants is affection, a sign someone cares about her. So it’s a real trial for her to realize that she’s someone “That not even a dog could love” in chapter 19 of Summer of the Netherfield Witch.
Sillyverse 
Gosh, not even a tail-wagging doggy to like her? How sad. You could at least allow her an affectionate budgie. Or a goldfish. Or a crocodile. Though I agree, a snake’s not a good idea. Far too heavily loaded with symbolism.
There WAS a time when a snake had an erotic role in this story, but that passage has been excised as not contributing to the story I want to tell.