• Home Home

In North Dakota, a pet snake turned up in the wrong house, then rode to the pound in a toy cruiser

Authorities are handling the snake as a lost pet rather than as a wild animal.

A police officer holds a snake in front of a police department emblem.

Photo Credit: Fargo Police Department

A loose pet snake in Fargo, North Dakota, was found inside someone else's house. 

Here's what to know

On Oct. 12, police were dispatched to a Fargo residence after the people living there found a snake, Valley News Live reported.

According to the Fargo Police Department, the orange-and-gold snake was discovered inside a northside house.

Authorities said the snake is now being kept at the Fargo Pound in a proper enclosure while they try to identify its owner. Before that, officers secured it in a plastic tub modeled after a police cruiser. The department shared photos of the vibrantly colored snake in the plastic tub. 

Authorities are handling the snake as a lost pet rather than as a wild animal.

What can be done?

Anyone missing a pet snake, or who may know whose it is, is being asked to contact the Fargo Pound at 701-232-7312, Valley News Live reported.

Officials said the orange-and-gold snake is staying there while authorities try to reunite it with its owner.

To claim the animal, officials said, a person will need documentation or other proof of ownership; it will not be released without verification.

Where can I learn more?

These stories cover misplaced pet snakes, snakes turning up in houses, and the calls that follow when people find them.

• At a Washington apartment complex, police asked, "Anyone missing a snake?" after finding a wandering pet.

• In Wisconsin, a giant snake dumping mystery deepened after the owner said the animal died during a vet emergency.

• A pet owner learned the strange mouth movement after warming a snake up was completely normal.

• In Arkansas, viral videos showed snakes taking over a vacant home for a surprisingly harmless reason.

• Across the Mid-South, snake calls surged 50% as small openings let them into homes.

Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.

Cool Divider