North Carolina officials believe the snake was between 3.5 and 4 feet long.
Screenshot from High Point Police Department Facebook
A 4-foot snake was spotted on the roof of a home, prompting a daring capture in North Carolina.
Police were having trouble finding the elusive reptile before animal control officer Lori Owens stepped in — literally. She climbed the ladder, “climbed, grabbed the snake, wear it around the neck and went downstairs,” according to the High Point Police Department.
Victoria Ruvio, a spokeswoman for the department, told McClatchy News in a phone interview that officers were first called about the snake on the roof on Thursday, Oct. 6. The officer was unable to find her until another call came in. day, prompting police to call the city’s fire department behind the stairs.
After Owens reached the roof of a vacant home and caught the snake, officials shared photos of the captured reptile online. The animal was taken to Piedmont Reptile Rescue.
Ruvio said police don’t know how the snake got on the roof, but believe it may have been a pet. The reptile was a Colombian red-tailed widow, a non-native species it is not poisonousaccording to the ZooMontana website.
After the unique rescue, some social media users said they were impressed by Owens’ bravery.
“This is devotion! Great job,” one person commented on the police department’s Facebook page.
Another person wrote: “This is wild. She is braver than me.”
For its part, the fire department commented: “Every call can be an adventure.”
This story was originally published October 7, 2022 at 3:32 p.m.
