The Victoria Police Department is searching for the owner of a large boa constrictor after the reptile was corralled at an apartment complex in the city.
According to police, officers received a report shortly after 9 p.m. on Tuesday night regarding a large snake.
The report came from a multi-unit residential building located in the 700-block of Vancouver Street after one resident found the snake on their ground floor patio.
Police say that officers responded to the scene and worked with the person who reported the snake in order to corral the “approximately four-foot-long snake” into a cardboard box.
The snake was then transported to Victoria Animal Control Services.
“Doesn’t matter if you own a snake or a budgie or a Great Dane, it’s always the owner’s responsibility to ensure they contain their animal to their property,” said Ian Fraser, the senior animal control officer.
Last summer, a similar instance occurred when a 1.4 metre, or four-and-a-half foot, ball python (also called a Royal python) escaped and was on the loose in Saanich.
One expert says it’s happens more often than you think.
Serena Nazaroff, the reptile supervisor at Creatures Pet Store said it happens more often than people think.
“It is fairly common. Snakes are really great escape artists. It’ll happen to everyone at least once,” she said.
She explained that it’s preventable — owners must always be aware of their slithering friend and keep their tanks shut.
“We have vents on these tanks and we put tape over them to prevent them from escaping through the holes. You just have to be diligent and learn if your snake does get out, find out what the problem was and fix it,” Nazaroff said.
Animal Control Services also said pet owners must remain vigilant, especially during the summer when they see a handful of these cases.
If you spot a snake outside, you are asked not to interact with it and contact police immediately.
The file remains under investigation as Victoria Police continue to search for the snake’s owner.
If the snake belongs to you, police are asking that you call Victoria Animal Control Services at 250-414-0233. Anyone with information about this incident is being asked to call the VicPD Report Desk at (250) 995-7654 extension 1. To report what you know anonymously, please call Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers 1-800-222-8477.
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