Five snakes were left abandoned in their owner's flat in the southeastern city of Chełm. The owner left them for a few weeks in their own feces, without food or fresh water, and in an unsuitable temperature. The reptiles have been now placed under the care of Epicrates Foundation which announced it would refer the case to the prosecutor's office.
The case was reported on social media by Epicrates Foundation which takes care of exotic animals. "We're just returning to Lublin with our new pupils... We were asked for help by an elderly lady, the owner of a flat in which five snakes had been abandoned without any care for a few weeks (no feeding, cleaning, heating, fresh water). You could smell the odour at the staircase. Longer stay in such conditions posed a serious risk to the animals' health and life. You can judge the 'breeding' conditions yourselves (yes, the snakes were living in what can be seen in the photos)" - we read in the Facebook post.
The snakes have been placed under the care of Epicrates Foundation. They underwent preliminary check-up. "They are not in such a bad shape, given the conditions they were kept in for the last few weeks. They were placed in containers sized 35 by 55 centimeters. Without food and adequate temperature, some without access to fresh water, they stayed in their own feces. More time in these conditions posed danger to their life," says Bartłomiej Gorzkowski, Epicrates Foundation chairman.
For the next two weeks, the reptiles will be placed in quarantine. "During that time we will monitor them. We don't know if any diseases can still develop. One of the snakes had rotting water with its own feces in the container. It might get sick if it was drinking it. If necessary, we will provide adequate treatment," Gorzkowski tells us. The snakes will remain under constant care of a veterinary doctor specialising in undomesticated animal diseases.
Epicrates Foundation chairman also told tvn24.pl that in the coming days he would notify the prosecutor's office about possible crime committed by the owner of the snakes - namely cruelty to animals and their abandonment. It will also be necessary to check the legality of their acquisition because anacondas and pythons are species which require having appropriate permission.
Cruelty to animals carries a prison sentence up to three years.
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, tvn24.pl