20-foot sick python ditched in LA dumpster
20-foot python found in DTLA dumpster
A local "reptile hunter" wrangled a sick 20-foot python that was found ditched in a downtown LA dumpster.
LOS ANGELES - A sick python ditched in a dumpster in downtown Los Angeles is getting a second chance at life thanks to a local animal rescuer.
The backstory:
Reptile handler Joseph Hart, who runs the rescue organization SoCal Reptile Hunter, said he received a call for help on Tuesday about a snake that was found in a dumpster at a downtown LA apartment complex. The snake was found in a small bin and its mouth was swollen due to a bad infection, something Hart later said is common in the pet trade.
Concerned neighbors called Hart after local police, animal control, and other animal services reportedly declined to take the python or said they would euthanize the animal.
Video shows Hart climbing into the dumpster and grabbing hold of the large snake, a female he later named Apples. Bystanders filmed the encounter and Hart later explained a bit more about the situation as the python casually wraps herself around him.
Local law mandates that all owners of snakes or other exotic animals must have a permit from the city of Los Angeles to legally keep their pets.
What they're saying:
As for how the python ended up in the dumpster, Hart said the previous owner was likely "overwhelmed with the idea of treating the medical condition" due to the cost, but he stressed that "dumping or abandoning the animal is no solution either."
Photos courtesy local "reptile hunter" and wildlife rehabilitation expert Joseph Hart
Hart thanked the concerned neighbors who called him to the rescue as this ensures Apples will be "given the help and care she needed."
"You guys are the real heroes," he said.
What's next:
In an update on his Instagram page, Hart – who also hosts events and teaches education programs about wild reptiles through his Reptile Hunter program - said he is fundraising to get Apples more medical treatment and the proper enclosure.
He said he hopes Apples will spend the rest of her life as an "educator animal" with the organization.
"Please do not commit animal cruelty or abandonment. There are people who can help," he said.
The Source: This report is based on information provided by reptile handler and rescuer Joseph Hart, who runs SoCal Reptile Hunter. The details and direct quotes come from his account of the rescue, including a video of the event, and an update he shared on his Instagram page. The story also includes information from concerned neighbors who initially discovered the snake.