After Downtown Los Angeles residents found something slithering through an apartment complex dumpster, a 20-foot reticulated python was rescued by a local, self-proclaimed "reptile hunter," according to KNBC.
The sizable snake was discovered in Piero Apartments, and Joseph Hart was quick to the scene to rescue the abandoned reptile.
"On Tuesday evening I received a call requesting some help about a snake situation in LA," Hart said in a recent Instagram post. "I immediately jumped into my truck and headed straight there to help out."
"Now this is majorly upsetting because this is a case of mistreatment and animal cruelty," Hart continued. "You can see that Apples has a horrible mouth infection, which is quite common with snakes in the pet trade."
Reptiles are the most common type of animal sold in the illegal pet trade, with over 18,200 confiscated between 2015 and 2019, according to the Wildlife Trafficking Alliance.
"This breaks my heart because the previous owner was most likely overwhelmed with the idea of treating the medical condition, as vet bills can be pricey," Hart theorized. "But dumping or abandoning the animal is no solution either."
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His theory may have some weight to it, as local police, animal control, and other reptile rescues in the area were all contacted before Hart. None was willing to intervene in the situation.
"There may not be A LOT of options when it comes to situations like this," he said. "I was even told that the snake would have been 'put down.'"
The python has found a new home in Riverside with her rescuer. While she has a long road of recovery, the wildlife rehabilitation expert is carefully overseeing and ensuring her full recovery.
"I hope that she spends the rest of her great long life as an educator animal with us here at Reptile Hunter," he said.
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