A 20-foot python was discovered perched on top of a dumpster in a parking garage at the Piero Apartments in downtown Los Angeles, creating quite a stir among residents.
When animal control and LAPD couldn't respond to the unusual situation on Tuesday evening, residents called reptile wrangler Joseph Hart to handle the massive snake.
Hart told KCAL that removing the python required special care due to its size and strength.
"She was frightened. As you can imagine, there's a lot of people there," Hart said. "She's just been in this weird situation, so she was really stressed out and like I said, that snake is very strong."
The python posed a significant challenge for Hart, who had to use his expertise to safely remove it.
"It can overpower me and it was actually really difficult for me to get her off the dumpster. I needed to move the dumpster and then get her off and put her on my body. So yeah, just good old-fashioned animal wrangling is how I got her out of the dumpster," Hart said.
Hart, who is also a surfer, took the opportunity to educate neighbors about pythons after securing the snake.
According to Hart, the python showed signs of health issues, particularly around its mouth, suggesting it may not have received proper care from its previous owner.
How the massive python ended up in the parking garage dumpster remains a mystery, but thanks to Hart's intervention, the snake will now receive appropriate care.
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