Residents living in a Shropshire hamlet were left spooked after warnings the area could be being used as a place to abandon exotic pets
Residents of a quiet Shropshire hamlet were left horrified after a six-foot-long boa constrictor was seen crawling along a country lane.
On Friday, the snake was seen bleeding from its jaw and coughing up blood near a layby on B5062 in Roden.
RSPCA was called to the scene following the discovery of the constrictor’s broken jaw by two motorists.
Officers were able safely to contain the reptile with a large cover and a hook using a specialist pole. The snake was then taken to the vets for pain relief, but he died that night.
Another long-deceased snake of similar size was found nearby. There are fears that this road could be used as a dump for exotic pets.
After an investigation, the RSPCA confirmed that both reptiles had been deliberately left in the vicinity.
A spokesperson for the organization said: “Normally when we get a call like this we find the snake has been misidentified and it’s actually a small native species, so we were very surprised when we arrived and saw a six-foot boa constrictor on the road.
”It’s very sad that this beautiful creature’s life ended like this.
“Sadly we think this snake was probably abandoned as it’s a very isolated location and there are no houses around for at least a mile.
“The discovery of the body of another snake close by also leads us to believe that someone has deliberately left them.”
Locals have described the findings as to the “stuff of nightmares” and expressed fears for the safety of the neighborhood and their children and pets.
One person wrote on social media: “Is it just me or is this freaking anybody else out? I don’t want live 6ft snakes slithering around the village.”
Another added: “This is literally the stuff of my nightmares. My skin is crawling just thinking about it.”
A third person added: “You’ve got to think about these poor reptiles too, they won’t last long in our weather without the proper care.”
In response, someone wrote: “Exactly, they will be hungry. And that’s why I don’t want to let my pet out. These animals can be brutal killers and would target something small.”
Although non-venomous, boa constrictors are said to “eat almost anything” they can catch in the wild and their jaws can stretch wide enough to swallow large prey whole.
The RSPCA inspector said these sorts of incidents were “not unusual”, adding: “We receive hundreds of calls every year relating to reptiles, and some of these have either escaped or may have been abandoned by their owners.
“Sadly snakes and lizards often end up in our care as some owners don’t realize the commitment that is involved in meeting their needs.