Snake seized from Brandon house rattles officers at police station

A three-foot python gave Brandon officers a taste of what most people would feel if they were required to spend a night inside a police station — nervous and uneasy.

Police in the western Manitoba city were called this week to recover the snake inside a rental home. The property owner, who went to check if the house was cleaned out and ready for the next tenant, found the snake coiled up inside a heated terrarium.

Near it was a guinea pig inside its own cage — not in the terrarium and not on the snake's menu, said police spokesman Const. Myran Hamm.

It had a lot of officers concerned. It's amazing the reaction a snake can elicit out of people- Const. Myran Hamm

The landlord wanted the creatures gone so police called animal control officers to remove them. The guinea pig was taken to the city pound but the building is not equipped for reptiles, Hamm said.

They decided to take the terrarium to the police station until they could decide what to do, such as call the Westman Reptile Gardens, which specializes in snakes.

"It had a lot of officers concerned," Hamm said with a half-hearted attempt at stifling a chuckle. "It's amazing the reaction a snake can elicit out of people."

The animal control service holds newly seized animals for at least 72 hours as officers attempt to track down owners.

Twitter pic generates buzz

In the meantime, Hamm took a photo of the snake — alongside a police shoulder patch to show relative size — and posted it on the Brandon Police Service Twitter account.

"It immediately generated a lot of buzz and the owner got hold of animal control," he said, and the police python will be reunited with its owner on Friday.

Hamm said police aren't looking at charges because the owner did not neglect or abuse the snake or guinea pig. They were still in the house because of a miscommunication, he said.

"They were well looked after, but there was a discrepancy on when they were supposed to be out," Hamm said. "The landlord said one thing, the owner [of the pets] said another.

"There's always two sides to every story but in the end, everything worked out."

Asked during the interview around noon Friday if the snake was still at the police station, Hamm said "it is," then paused, hesitantly adding "hopefully."

"The terrarium is, so I hope it's in there."

Hamm said he wasn't exactly eager to check, never mind take a ssssselfie with the station's guest.

"I personally don't need to go near it. I'm good."

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