To think this cannot be legal...

[user1481143387]

DS1 13 months would not go to sleep tonight so DP took him in the pushchair for a walk. He came across an absolutely massive snake in the park. Someone had let him out of a large tank apparently (not in the pic). Lots of bystanders taking pics. I know people can have these in their homes, but in public??? Cannot be legal right?

I'm a regular but name changed as I knew people would ask where this was and obviously telling the location could be outing. This is in Roberts Park, Saltaire, West Yorkshire.

This is for real.

WTF?!!!!

I like snakes but NO.

I would be absolutely terrified if I was walking in that park and saw that snake. It is bad enough having to tolerate dogs not on leads (which I am scared of because I was attacked by a Rottweiler when I was 12). I don’t think he should be allowed to do that in public, a lot of people would be really freaked out.

I would contact the british herpetological society. They have be able to identify the species and or the advisability or otherwise of exposing the general public to such a beast. Just because it‘s big doesn‘t mean it‘s dangerous but it might be as frightening/traumatic for the snake to be exposed in this way as it is for the people who witness it. I‘m pretty sure snakes don‘t need taking for a walk and the purpose of the exercise is to impress/intimidate bystanders, the way some blokes just have to parade their nasty, vicious dogs about in public just to show everyone how hard they are. They may also be able to advise on the legality of taking the thing out in public and who is responsible if it escapes, which clearly it can do easily. I‘m sure the police have got enough slippery customers to deal with without any legless ones, if you‘ll excuse the pun.

Why do people ant to keep these creatures in their homes? It can't be comfortable or ideal for such big reptiles and I do agree - it looks pretty terrifying.

Call the police.

OH MY GOD!!!! Even looking at that photo gives me the shudders.
Very glad I live nowhere near Yorkshire... mops brow

Her name is Ethel.

Bloody hell no !!!!!!! 😲😲😲😲😲😲😲😲😲My ds is scared of snakes so that would totally freak him out (TBH me too !!!). Surely not safe as they can move fast ....

Probably transported in a sack. If it is venomous then not legal to allow it to slither about in public. Wonder if the owner thought about the snake coming into contact with all the muck and pollution on the grass in a park. Don't know what those snakes that strangle their prey but they too would be illegal to roam.

This is my garden pond.........

WTAF has happened to the UK since I left.

The snake will not be venomous, those are kept strictly under licence and allowing it in public would be illegal.

A snake is cold blooded so relies on sunshine or artificial lighting to keep it warm. The sun and fresh air is good for it. The owner will no doubt know his snake and will also recognise any possibly 'flight' possibilities.

My son frequently takes his 12ft boa into the garden for Sun and fresh air, though he would draw the line at a public park. It's possible the owner doesn't have a garden to take it.

Snakes are actually far more frightened of humans than a human will ever of it.

Another reason to avoid Keighley

Bloody hell! The snake is NOT venomous!!

And the Viv they need won't actually be as big as you think.

6-8feet. Purely because they aren't active snakes. They wil have a good stretch out in the sunshine but apart from that, they don't really move about much.

Another reason to avoid Keighley

Not sure why you would given the park isn’t in Keighley

That photo in the paper actually shows Ethel is not as big as I thought.

She's a reticulate python not a Burmese like I thought.

I have seen a Burmese and they get massive. There was one at a fun day a few weeks ago and it was at least 15 feet. Beautifully snake

My apologies @halfwitpicker having come online on my phone I know see there’s a newspaper link. Didn’t bloody show on PC!

I’m pleased though, even nearer to where I am, I might get an Ethel sighting

I have a real phobia about snakes as many people do. This would be my worst nightmare in the flesh, regardless of how many people told me it was nothing to worry about. I genuinely just checked out how far this park is from me for reassurance, and I'm on the east coast! Legal or not, dangerous or not, I don't think it is right for animals that so many people are afraid of to be loose in a public area without prior warning. If you're scared of dogs you avoid places where dogs will be loose. You don't think to avoid a park due to a fear of snakes.

Aw. She looks like she needs a walk (slither?) and a bit of sunshine. She's a long way from any undergrowth where she could hide, so I presume the owner could just catch her if necessary.

We had one in the grounds of a hospital once. I rang London Zoo to check if it was dangerous . They never got back to me but one of the engineers kept snakes and knew it was ok so took it home with him!!!

She is actually smiling on some of the photos. She must be enjoying the heat.

this is a legal snake and he is just letting it out for a walk because of the weather , i have seen one in my own park and my daughters have stroked it and it was fine.

And now my feet are itching

I would love to see one in my local park. It looks like several people are near by in case it tries to make a run for it (joke, pythons don’t move that fast). They probably thought the park would be quiet? We used to let ours out in the garden but never took it to a park 🤣

As long as she doesn’t take her pet tarantulas out, it’s fine with me. Bit of a nagini though