A venomous West African Banded Cobra snake could roam free in Grand Prairie.
Grand Prairie Animal Services announced that they were missing a line in a house on the 1800 block of Cherry Street near Interstate 30 and Belt Line Road around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.
The owner reported that his cobra was missing in his enclosure and he wasn’t sure where it was going.
“Animal Services, the owner and a poisonous snake detection expert, actively searched for the snake inside and outside the residence all night to no avail,” Grand Prairie told Animal Services.
The snake’s owner told NBC 5’s Maria Guerrero on Wednesday afternoon that he was sorry he caused panic and that his snake could have been trapped between the walls of his home and died. He added that the snake could also have gone down to the creek that runs along I-30 and died.
“I made a mistake and I’m very sorry for the community,” said the owner, who asked NBC 5 not to identify him by name.
The “snake lover” says he fed his cobra a rat on Tuesday, which he identifies as Forrest Cobra, and then left home.
“I was walking down the street to get food for my other animals, and when I came back the cage door was an inch open. She must have found a way to open it, ”he said.
Just in case the snake isn’t stuck in the wall, residents of the area are asked to call 911 about any snake believed to be the missing cobra. Residents are also warned not to approach the snake or try to charm it or catch their own.
Animal Services notified local hospitals of the missing snake and prepared it to treat a snake bite in case someone came across the cobra and was bitten.
The Grand Prairie Police Department has teamed up with the Grand Prairie Fire Department, which has notified the local hospitals of the missing snake and has instituted a protocol with Parkland Hospital to treat this type of snake bite in the event of a human encounter.
The owner of the snake wouldn’t explicitly state how they bought the snake, just that there are “people” and “poisonous shows” where enthusiasts can buy snakes.
Grand Prairie Police said the man had a valid government-issued license to own the snake in question.
“The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has given him permission to use this species of snake. He got that approval from the state, ”said Officer Mark Beseda of the Grand Prairie Police Department. “We are examining this permit. What does it take to get this permit, why is the permit granted in a residential area? “
Beseda added that the department and state agencies will investigate whether any local, state, or federal laws or regulations have been violated.
The snake’s owner says the city removed two more snakes from his home early that morning, including a pit viper. He admits he made a mistake.
“There were simple protocols that could have prevented that; five screws could have prevented it. It just looks bad for the community and I am also sorry for the reptile community and my local community, ”he said.
He insists that he believes the snake likely slipped into his walls or attic and died in the heat.
“That could be fatal to an adult. It’s an extremely dangerous snake to be bitten, ”said Randall Kennedy of Dallas Fort Worth Wildlife Control.
Kennedy asks if the snake was properly secured.
“These snakes are supposed to be under double lock and key,” said Kennedy.
The snake handler adds that the species tends to be very aggressive only when approached or provoked.
When it’s outside, it can be scared and hide in bushes.
“First they’ll get up and show you their hood and try to warn you to come back,” said Kennedy. “Unfortunately, if you have been bitten by it, it is very devastating. Lots of tissue damage right away. You can fall into a coma. It can attack the nervous system. “
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