Boa constrictor spotted trying to cross road in Madison Township
MADISON TOWNSHIP — Not everyone was happy to see a 3-foot boa constrictor on Thursday morning.
"My officers wouldn't touch it," said Donald Zehner, Richland County sheriff's captain. "They're a little bit skittish around snakes."
The wayward snake was crossing Fairfax Avenue and fortunately did not get hit by a passing car. A woman called the sheriff's office after spotting it.
"We thought for sure it had come from that store," Zehner said, referring to nearby Stump's Aquatics & Exotics.
Nate Speelman, part-owner of Stump's, confirmed the boa was not one of his.
He did corral the snake, which was hiding under a dumpster.
"It was pretty docile," Speelman said. "It was probably somebody's pet."
He added his store has plenty of mice and rats and speculated the boa smelled a possible meal.
Exotic pet store co-owner hopes boa was not dumped
Speelman said he hopes someone didn't dump the snake near his story hoping they would take care of it.
"It's hard for us because people do dumb stuff a lot of the time," he said. "It's the same thing as when people drop cats and dogs off at the humane society."
Speelman also confirmed Zehner's story about the deputies not wanting any part of the snake.
"There were six of them out there. They were like, 'No way,''' he said with a laugh.
Deputy Jon VanHouten was one of the officers on the scene.
"To be honest, I'm deathly afraid of snakes; however, sometimes you have to do things you don't want to do," he said. "The game plan was we would try to corral it and put it in a big Tupperware tote."
The boa had other ideas.
"It slithered under a dumpster, so it was like a standoff," VanHouten said.
Between his time at the Lexington Police Department and the sheriff's office, VanHouten has more than 20 years of experience in law enforcment.
"This is probably the second call I've had on a snake," he said. "It was an experience."
Anyone who owns the snake should call the sheriff's office at 419-524-2412 and choose option No. 1.
mcaudill@gannett.com
419-521-7219
Twitter: @MarkCau32059251
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Exotic pet store owner corrals 3-foot boa for sheriff's deputies
