RSPCA Called To Collect 'Snake'

16 July 2012, 15:05 | Updated: 17 July 2012, 12:15

The RSPCA have been called out to collect an 18-inch-long snake from the garden of someone in St Albans, which turned out to be a rubber toy.

The charity received a call on Tuesday 10 July 2012 from a concerned member of the public who had found a “snake” in his garden.

The caller described the snake as having no visible wounds but told the RSPCA he did not want to get close to it to check if it was dead and had instead confined it under a plant pot.

RSPCA animal welfare officer Kate Wright was tasked to attend the incident and on lifting the plant pot up immediately realised she was dealing with a rubber toy.

She said: "The caller was genuinely quite frightened of snakes so understandably had not got very close to it. He was of course a little surprised, but I guess relieved as well, when I explained it was a rubber toy.

"He had only moved to the property recently, and therefore the chances are the rubber snake had been left behind by the previous occupants. However I was happy to attend and I’m glad that all ended safe and well. The ‘snake’ has now been rehomed with my nephew – so it is a happy ending all round."

The RSPCA say on a serious note, they've received a number of calls recently in the Hertfordshire area regarding pet snakes being found.

In the last week alone Kate Wright has collected three corn snakes; one from Watford, another from Hatfield and a third from Berkhamsted.

Corn snakes can be described as good escape artists and some of the recent warm weather may have led to the sudden increase in calls to the RSPCA, but there is also a concern that some could have been abandoned by their owners.