FWC officers arrived at a reptile facility and destroyed 34 pythons and one pregnant boa constrictor, which was mistakenly identified as a python. According to the boa's owner, Bill McAdam, four FWC officers used a bolt gun to dispatch the snake. In addition, 29 reticulated pythons and five Burmese pythons owned by Chris Coffee were also destroyed. Before the FWC implemented "Prohibited Species" regulations in 2021, Coffee legally possessed a large collection of pythons under a "Conditional Species" permit. These pythons were microchipped according to FWC guidelines. Although Coffee attempted to rehome 120 of his pythons after the new rules were enacted, he could not find new homes for all of them before the FWC deadline. He contacted the FWC to request more time. In response, the FWC raided Coffee's facility, arrested him, and filed a total of 72 criminal charges against him. Instead of confiscating the snakes, FWC officers instructed Coffee to keep them in captivity, prohibiting him from rehoming or dispatching them without facing additional charges. Coffee's life has been severely disrupted, and he remains on probation due to these charges. For a year, Coffee's pythons were housed at McAdam's facility with the FWC's knowledge until the raid and subsequent euthanasia occurred on Thursday. FWC officers Lex Corteguera, Jonathon Wright, Zach Beppel, and Christopher Ryan conducted the operation, likely using a "penetrating captive bolt" device to remove the snakes. Boa constrictors are legal to own in Florida and are among the most popular pet snakes. McAdam had raised the 10-year-old boa since it was a baby. Despite personal feelings about snakes, these were innocent, healthy animals, and there were numerous alternative solutions to this unnecessary treatment. Consider if these were dogs, goats, or horses - would the public reaction be different? ⭐️10% off frozen food! RodentPro.com Code: NERD0423A
