A video shows images of wild prairie rattlesnakes in a Colorado den that is home to hundreds of the slithering reptiles. (Courtesy: Project RattleCam via Storyful)
Rome, New York – A New York man is facing charges for illegally owning a 13-foot-long pet snake that had outgrown him, prompting authorities to intervene.
Officer Jeff Hull of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (ECO) went to the man’s home on August 28, the agency said in a press release on Tuesday.
After seeing a picture of the snake, Hull identified it as a Burmese python based on the arrowhead-like pattern on its head. According to ECO, owning Burmese pythons is illegal in New York State without a permit.
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A New York man is facing charges for illegally owning a 13-foot-long snake that had outgrown him, prompting authorities to intervene.
(New York State Department of Environmental Protection)
When Hull entered the house, he found the large snake locked in a tank barely 1.5 meters wide. The reptile was in good health and weighed 36 kilograms.
The snake’s owner admitted to Hull that he was not prepared for his pet’s rapid growth and that he knew he could no longer care for it, authorities said.
The snake’s owner was issued summonses for illegal pet ownership and possession of a dangerous animal without a license.
The python was taken away and handed over to the Fort Rickey Discovery Zoo in Rome, New York, which authorities said has the necessary permits to keep it.
