to be really scared and pissed off with the RSPCA.

[HelenaDove]

Last Weds night a snake found its way into my kitchen. It was on the wall above the cooker.

I heard the saucepans ding and saw it, I freaked out i called the RSPCA. They asked loads of questions. They said it was a corn snake Im incredibly phobic. They told me to go round all my neighbours at midnight and ask if its someones pet. They refused to come out. So did the police when i phoned them. In desperation i phoned the council and got my third refusal. So DH tried to catch it to put it outside It was too fast and got through a hole in the kitchen floor. We filled the holes at the instruction of the RSPCA. My 65 year old husband with a heart condition had to try and deal with it I was and still am a wreck. RSPCA phoned at 8.30 am the next morning (Thurs) to ask if it was still there after telling me to "leave it" (they didnt give a fuck about the cat i told them i have) Didnt ask whether i have young children or a baby in a cot. During The Thurs morn phone call she told me to call again if the snake comes back. Well at midnight DH saw it trying to get through the venty bit in the window of the communal hallway and managed to gently shove it outside.
Phoned RSPCA again who again told me that they cant come out at this hour and can only come out during the daytime. Ive been living in fear since last Weds. Woman on Thurs promised me they would come out if it appeared again.

The guy on the phone tonight warned me that if the snake gets hurt i would be prosecuted.
But they WONT come out Im petrified Snakes are nocturnal FFS! My nerves are fucking bad. DH has had to take extra GTN spray


I googled earlier and found this. And they had the cheek to tell this couple it was "crossed wires" And like this couple we are in Essex too.



www.express.co.uk/news/uk/493358/Man-removes-five-foot-snake-from-kitchen

[RoobyTuesday]

So many posters have jumped on here thinking it's their place to give the OP a good telling off... Er no, adults, especially strangers are not in a position to be telling each other off an trying to make them feel small and stupid for what is essentially a phobia. Yes she's been irrational about the situation and over reacted but that's generally how phobias make people behave. I hope you get it sorted op, there is some good advice on here in amongst all the ear bashing.

[londonrach]

Op post something on local fb site asking about the snake. I bet you have loads of people who would direct you to the local reptile society and better still the owner who might be looking for it. X

[RayofFuckingSunshine]

I have a corn snake. They are spectacularly docile, and it probably has escaped from somewhere. Sadly, it could be somewhere that isn't in your block as they can travel quite far, so tracking down an owner will be difficult.

In terms of getting rid of it, your best bet will be to contact either a local reptile charity (most are very small, search Facebook) or contact a local reptile shop. Those shops tend to be run by very knowledgable people who would be able to help you, or direct you to someone who can.

[elastamum]

The RSPCA are bloody useless so you are wasting your time with them.

There was an obviously sick horse dumped in a field near us. Various people called them 8 times and they never bothered to come and look at it. Eventually I tracked down the owner and bought it off her for a couple of hundred quid and called out the vet who immediately euthanised it as it had a spinal infection with open sores all along it's back and was in terrible pain.

The day I do this an inspector calls me as they want to see if they can prosecute the owner, but they had previously no interest whatsoever in rescuing the poor horse. They are a political organisation who have lost their way

[FlowerBomber]

So, op, lots of suggestions about what to do:
Contact local reptile shop
Contact local reptile fanciers group
Advertise locally for the owner (notes on entrances to hocks of flats, lamp posts, Facebook sites etc)
Contact local authority animal warden for advice
Keep food tidied away in cupboards
Block possible points of entry

Is your husband phobic about snakes? If it comes back is there any reason why he couldn't just pick it up and put it in a lidded box with air holes? Then take it somewhere appropriate.

I think the criticism you've encountered here s because you appear to think 'someone else' should sort out your problem.

As pp have said the RSPCA is supposed to be there to prevent cruelty to animals and to rescue suffering animals. Despite whatever is happening at the top of the organisation at the bottom resources will be limited and stretched. They are not an animal collection service.

What on earth did you think the police were going to do?

You need to be a little more self reliant.

[Kamden]

You called the police for a snake?! Is your husband phobic too or did he not have enough common sense to calm you down and advise you against wasting resources?

That said, I have found the RSPCA shit in genuine circumstances but I'm not even sure this was a genuine circumstance.

[muminhants1]

They are a charity for the prevention of cruelty to animals without legal powers and limited resources.

They are a charity yes.

But they do have legal powers and not-very-limited resources and are bullies. As some others have said above, they are more interested in making political points than actually protecting animals. If you want to donate to an animal charity please don't donate to them, donate to a local wildlife trust or the Blue Cross or similar.

I'd be scared if a snake was in my house too and wouldn't really know who to contact.

[Jackie0]

Yes you are bu.
This is the RSPCA's fault ? Why?
It's no one else's fault that you are phobic.
You really need to grow up.

[ThatBloodyWoman]

See if there are any pet shops,animal roadshows or other snakey preople who might take pity on you and come and rescue it.
If its making you really poorly,could you visit some family in the meantime?

[MummySparkle]

You don't live in a downstairs felt do you?

My FIL's snake has form for escaping!

[LostMySanityCanIBorrowYours]

They are not an animal collection service. They are not an animal collection service.

And yet they have Animal Collection Officers

[LetThereBeCupcakes]

OP where in the UK are you? My BIL is very well known in the snake world and I could probably contact somebody for you if you need.

[PurpleHairAndPearls]

There's no need at all for some of these comments.

Op was BU to ring the police, I'm sure she knows that know though! I'm also guessing it was the local station or 101 rather than 999.

She has a phobia. I have a phobia of an item so badly I can't even type the word on here. I once had one in my house and asked a BT engineer working in the street to come and remove it, luckily he did, but I was crying and shaking. I'm normally very cynical and hard headed, but it's a phobia, it's irrational. Reading some of these comments at the time would have really hurt and upset me.

Op I hope you have managed to sort something out, would a local vet be any help maybe?

[ShotgunNotDoingThePans]

Think op said she was in Essex, Cupcakes.

[ghostyslovesheep]

I kind of felt you where being a bit unreasonable until I swapped 'snake' for 'tarantula' - if I had one of those in my kitchen I'd be typing this from my local travel inn

Try and keep calm OP and contact reptile rescues - they will help x

[TellmeifIABU]

@But they do have legal powers and not-very-limited resources and are bullies "

Can you elaborate upon that?

[Hoppinggreen]

Ignoring the fact that the RSPCA may or may not be crap your phobia is not their problem, they are there to help animals not people with phobias!
I am not belittling your fear of snakes by the way, It muSt have been terrible for you but your fear and the fact that your DH is 65 with a heart condition is irrelevant to the RSPCA.
As people gave said before try and find a local snake person to help you.

[LetThereBeCupcakes]

Thanks Shotgun - sorry, really should have RTFT!

[FlowerBomber]

Animal collection officers are there to assist RSPCA Inspectors rescue distressed animals, giving animal first aid is one of their listed duties. They are not there to collect animals in the op's circumstance.

[IKnowIAmButWhatAreYou]

If I were you I'd just put a fucking great rat trap (one with the spikes on) and tie it to a fixture with a dead mouse on it (pet shop will sell frozen mice).

When snakey gets caught, just batter it with something & chuck it in a bin (not yours).

If RSPCA bother to call back, just say you haven't seen it (and don't show them your new bookmark).

I've got no issues with calling 101 to be fair, surprised that anyone has given that it seems to be a favorite for most MNers but I think your mistake was letting them know that you knew it was harmless.....

[Gileswithachainsaw]

I hope to god your joking

[TheCunnyFunt]

"What you did is a bit like ringing Battersea Dogs' Home and asking them to take your cat and getting all arsey when they won't, when actually the clue to what they do is in their name."

Actually they do take cats. It's Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.

[FlowerBomber]

Lostmysanity- What knowledge do you think the police have about snakes then? At police college do they study robbery, assault, theft, traffic laws and reptile identification and husbandry?! That is not what the emergency services exist for!!

[fearandloathinginambridge]

The RSPCA came out to collect a python that found its way onto a friends balcony last year. They told her to catch it in a pillow case until they could get there.