SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Police were called to a southeastern Sioux Falls apartment on Sunday after a man reported that his pet cobra bit him. That snake was an African forest cobra—but it wasn’t the only scaly creature in the apartment.
“When animal control did respond, we were made aware that there were two cobras in his bedroom loose, along with a confined eastern diamondback rattlesnake,” said Patty Beckman, Sioux Falls Animal Control supervisor. “So, animal control was able to get into the apartment and remove the loose cobras safely.”
The man was brought to the hospital and all three snakes were brought to Reptile Gardens in Rapid City.
In the city of Sioux Falls and the state of South Dakota, it is illegal to own venomous snakes. At the Great Plains Zoo it is legal.
“It requires a lot of permitting and a lot of safety protocols, and we’ve just opted not to do that,” said Leigh Spencer, the education and conservation director at the Great Plains Zoo.
Along with it being illegal outside of zoos, venomous snakes don’t make good pets for other reasons.
“Venomous snakes are a huge safety risk, which is why it’s illegal in Sioux Falls to have them,” said Spencer. “It’s why there’s a lot of places where you can’t have venomous snakes, and why we choose not to have them here because of the safety concerns for humans.”
Luckily for animal control, it is not very common for people in Sioux Falls to keep the potentially dangerous animals as pets.
“This is probably the first case within, I’d say five or six years,” said Beckman.
And although you should stay away from snakes that are venomous, not all slithering creatures are a threat.
“The snakes in your backyard are good. Leave them alone. Let them be. Let them do their job. But definitely take lots of good considerations before you bring them into your house,” said Spencer.
