Surprise! Unwelcome Deadly Guest Moves Into Delaware County Home

Is it me or is the last thing you want in your house a venomous snake? This might be something people in other parts of the country where different types of venomous snakes are common but in New York State we are certainly not used to seeing them! With that said, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, New York State is home to 3 different types of venomous snakes: copperheads, timber rattlesnakes, and the massasauga rattlesnake (aka pygmy rattlesnake). The good news is that these snakes are rarely seen because they shy away from people in general.

I guess a certain timber rattlesnake was not feeling very shy when it entered a Town of Hancock home recently. According to the NYS DEC, an Environmental Conservation Officer (ECO) got a call in the middle of the night about a rattlesnake in a person's living room. The deadly snake was discovered by the homeowner's dog who was heard barking at something. When the homeowner investigated, he found quite the unwelcome surprise, a 3.5-foot rattlesnake on the floor! The homeowner made the smart choice to call for help getting the snake out of his home instead of either attempting to kill it or get it out of the house himself.

ECO Osborne arrived on the scene at a very late 3:00 am to safely capture the snake and release it back into the wild, far away from any area homes. Whew! That was close! Can you imagine if the dog had attempted to engage the snake more than just barking at it? All's well that ends well.

Keep in mind that the three venomous snakes mentioned at the beginning of this story are indigenous to New York State and are protected by law. You can find out more about them by visiting dec.ny.gov.