A live snake is an outside agency. A dead snake is a loose impediment.

[Ravenous Bugblatter Beast]

Who'd a thunk that reading the rules of golf could be so much fun?

I guess you could generalize that into live animal is an outside agency, and that a dead animal is a loose impediment.

[DaveE]

And a sleeping snake could be a very unfortunate mistake.

[Ravenous Bugblatter Beast]

I'm wondering now is it permissible to kill small animals to make them into loose impediments?

[DaveE]

It's always ok to kill snakes.

[obagain]

What if you hit a rabbit and the ball ends up under it. Do you need to check for a pulse to get the proper ruling?

[dave.]

Playing on a course with snakes must be handy,you could claim 'burrowing animal' for any dodgy lie!