Officials are worried that the town is becoming a “dumping ground for unwanted pet snakes.”
According to a press release obtained by Newsweek, the injured snake was discovered by two motorists on September 17 in Roden—a small village in Telford, England. Not wanting the snake to escape, the drivers blocked the constrictor in with their cars and called police, who closed the road entirely.
RSPCA inspector Claire Davey and animal rescue officer Rachel Ward also attended the scene and managed to contain the snake in a large duvet cover. They believe the snake, which was bleeding from its jaw and coughing up blood, was likely hit by a car.
A specialized vet later determined that the snake sustained a broken jaw, and administered medicine for pain relief. Sadly, though the vet expected the reptile to make a full recovery, it died later that night.
Unfortunately, this wasn’t the first exotic snake fatality in the area.
RSPCA officials stated that the body of a “long-deceased” snake of similar size was found nearby. They believe both snakes were “deliberately abandoned.”
“Normally when we get a call like this we find the snake has been misidentified and it’s actually a small native species, so we were very surprised when we arrived and saw a six-foot boa constrictor on the road,” Davey said according to the press release.
“It’s very sad that this beautiful creature’s life ended like this; sadly we think this snake was probably abandoned as it’s a very isolated location and there are no houses around for at least a mile,” she continued. “The fact that there was the body of another snake close by also leads us to believe that someone has deliberately left them.”
Because the needs of exotic pets, such as constrictors, are so hard to meet, the RSPCA advises against adopting these animals. Under the Animal Welfare Act, pet owners are responsible for meeting the complex needs of their exotic pets. Failure to do so, said RSPCA, could lead to prosecution.
However, people still adopt these pets, and often surrender them or abandon them once the care becomes too difficult.
“[W]e receive hundreds of calls every year relating to reptiles, and some of these have either escaped or may have been abandoned by their owners,” Davey said. “Sadly snakes and lizards often end up in our care as some owners don’t realize the commitment that is involved in meeting their needs.
“For example, an adult boa constrictor can grow up to 13-feet long and live for over 20 years in captivity, which is why we always urge people to do their research before taking on any exotic animal as a pet.”
