A ball python was found in an unexpected place in Lubbock, Texas.
Lubbock Animal Services picked up the snake at the Tinseltown movie theater, and no owner came forward to claim it.
Here's what to know
As KFMX reported, Lubbock Animal Services posted a photo of the unusual cinemagoer on its Facebook page.
A snake inside a public theater isn't a typical wildlife sighting, and it likely appeared in the venue because of human activity.
The episode illustrates the kinds of calls animal services departments can receive beyond the usual stray cats and dogs.
A dark theater full of rows of seats, moviegoers, and employees moving between auditoriums is not designed for a missing reptile, and even a nonaggressive snake could quickly cause alarm.
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More background
According to KFMX, Lubbock Animal Services is often thought of as a "cat-and-dog operation." However, its social media has also featured guinea pigs, chickens, pigs, rats, and now a snake.
In Lubbock, a city department better known for handling common household pets can still be called on for far more unusual cases.
When people keep a wider mix of animals, shelters and animal control teams end up dealing with escapes, abandonment, or recovery situations that fall well outside standard routines.
In this case, a likely lost pet created problems for theater workers, customers, and city responders.
What's being done?
Lubbock Animal Services went to Tinseltown and picked up the snake after it was spotted.
Animal services must be prepared for unwanted or displaced pets of many kinds, not just the furry pets most residents picture when they think of a shelter.
When an exotic pet gets loose, the consequences do not stay private for long, and animal services workers are the ones asked to step in.
The story also highlights a major concern regarding international animal trade. According to iNaturalist, ball pythons are native to sub-Saharan Africa.
Escaped animals can severely disrupt ecosystems they don't belong in by preying on native animal populations — the spread of Burmese pythons in Florida is one example of how a species can adapt and thrive without natural checks and balances.
Where can I learn more?
Ball pythons and other snakes sometimes turn up in unexpected places.
• In Florida, deputies searched for an owner after a ball python curled around a car engine.
• In Singapore, park contractors carried out a drain rescue after workers spotted a reticulated python.
• In the Mid-South, experts warned that small openings are letting reptiles in as snake calls rose 50%.
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