ALIQUIPPA, Pa. — More than 150 snakes and an alligator were removed from an Aliquippa home where a man was found dead on Tuesday.
It all happened at 1325 McMinn Street where a resident inside the home called 911 Tuesday afternoon after a man who lived there was found unconscious.
The snakes are all different sizes, colors and ages, but what the more than 50 brought to Ambridge have in common is they are all venomous.
“Venomous snakes don’t want to bite you. It takes a day or two for a venomous snake to kill a human. It takes 15 seconds for a human to kill a venomous snake,” said George Diaz who owns Off the Hook Exotic Pets.
At the home on McMinn Street, dozens of those venomous snakes were seized after a man with a bite was found dead inside. But Aliquippa police told Channel 11 the autopsy shows the man didn’t die from a snake bite, so the death investigation continues.
But all of those venomous snakes were removed from the home and brought to this shop.
“We have to look over them for mites, body scaring, mouth rot. Anything that is detrimental, but I haven’t seen anything like that most of the snakes are very healthy. But things can come up these could be wild caught, I don’t know the ancestors,” Diaz said.
We were told that the homeowners were buying and selling the reptiles at different shows.
“Nobody does this without being found out about,” Diaz said.
Now those three homeowners will be facing charges for violating the city code since Aliquippa does not allow for venomous snakes or certain reptiles. While the shop figures out just how many animals there are, those homeowners will face a fine of up to $1000 per animal.
“The whole thing it’s for the animal. The animal has to be taken care of first and everything else falls into place later,” Diaz said.
As for the snakes, it could be up to two weeks before they are out of quarantine. After that it’s up to the state to determine what’s next for them.
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