Overview
- Passersby found the two live king (ball) pythons in a cardboard box that carried a note asking to be taken to an animal shelter on Wednesday, July 8, and police brought the snakes to the Auffangstation für Reptilien München.
- Veterinarians at the rescue described both animals as severely emaciated and placed them in quarantine for medical treatment and monitoring to guard against respiratory and other illnesses.
- The reptile rescue filed a criminal complaint and the Munich police and Veterinäramt have opened inquiries while asking the public to provide tips about who abandoned the snakes.
- Rescuers expect the pythons to be rehabilitated and potentially rehomed in about four to six weeks, and the identified owner can be billed for care costs otherwise the city will cover expenses.
- Experts stressed that king pythons are generally docile and kept as pets but that abandonment in a box risks the animals’ health and fuels public alarm, which the rescue hopes to reduce through care and public information.