York Regional Police Removed A 4-Foot Python From A Sewer & No, This Isn't A Horror Film
What would you do if you spotted this little guy? 👇
A python snake in a Markham street.
Imagine you're walking down the street, and suddenly, you see a four-foot-long python slithering around a sewer grate.
For someone in Markham, that wasn't the plot of a bad horror movie – it was real life.
On July 31, York Regional Police (YRP) were called to Terrance Drive and Bewell Drive in Markham at around 12:30 a.m. for a report of an animal complaint about "a large four foot, long, thick snake that was yellow, white and brown."
The caller reported seeing the snake near a sewer grate on the roadway, according to a spokesperson from YRP.
Officers attended the call and wrangled the snake off the road in a plastic tote bag.
The snake had a sleepover at the police district, and the following morning, the city's animal services came to collect it to re-home the reptile, according to a tweet posted on August 2.
THE STUFF NIGHTMARES ARE MADE OF - @YRP has seen its share of slippery suspects, but we weren't about to let this serpent snake away on Sunday.
Officers carefully removed the four-foot python from a sewer and kept it until it could be re-homed by @cityofmarkham animal services. pic.twitter.com/1y1g7b49j2
— York Regional Police (@YRP) August 2, 2022
YRP told Narcity they don't know where the snake came from. Although, they believe it may be a lost pet that somehow got loose.
However, YRP said exotic pets like this snake are not permitted in Markham without a special permit. There's quite a long list of "prohibited animals" that the city won’t allow residents to have, including squirrels, elephants or venomous spiders (to name a few).
The City of Markham Animal Care Services told Narcity the snake has been successfully re-homed to a new owner who lives outside of the city, where ownership is legal.
Animal Care Services also confirmed the snake is a Ball python, which "pose very little threat to humans."
However, these snakes are banned in the city for the protection of the species.
"The exotic pet trade leads to the depletion of species in the wild through poaching and causes unnecessary suffering to the animals held in captivity," according to Animal Care Services.