The owner of a 6-foot-long cobra called 9-1-1 after realizing his pet escaped its enclosure on Tuesday in Grand Prairie, Texas, Grand Prairie Police said in a report.
Grand Prairie Animal Services responded to the report of the missing venomous West African Banded Cobra snake in the 1800 block of Cherry Street, according to the police report. (RELATED: REPORT: Teen Looks For Lost Dog, Finds Tiger Instead)
#DEVELOPING A “dangerous, venomous” snake is on the loose in Grand Prairie. The owner tells me the West African Banded Cobra got out after a “cage malfunction”.
Here’s a pic. The owner lives off the 1800 block of Cherry Street in Grand Prairie. If you see it call 911. pic.twitter.com/aZJZYF802H
— Alex Rozier (@RozierReports) August 4, 2021
“We don’t know if the snake is long gone, or if the snake is still in the house, but we have not been able to locate it,” Grand Prairie Police Public Information Officer Mark Beseda told CNN.
The Grand Prairie Police Department has partnered with the Grand Prairie Fire Department to find the snake, according to the police report. They alerted three hospitals of the missing snake and implemented a protocol with Parkland Hospital about how to treat this type of snakebite, the report stated.
Police also contacted the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department related to policy and procedures on the permitting of venomous snakes in residential areas. The State of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department had permitted the owner to house this particular snake.
“Residents who live in the area and see any type of snake believed to be the missing cobra, are asked to call 911 immediately,” the police report states. “Do not approach or attempt to capture the venomous snake.”