'Healthy and in very good spirits': Snake captured in Fort Rouge checked out by vet
A snake that made Winnipeg headlines after being on the loose in the city for nearly two days before police caught it has been checked out by a veterinarian and is now in proper care.
After two days of searching, police apprehended the snake about 200 metres from where it was first spotted in the Fort Rouge area.
The snake was then taken to Grant Park Animal Hospital since it had a small lesion on its side.
"The snake was surprisingly healthy and in very good spirits," said veterinarian Jonas Watson. "[It was] a friendly snake, obviously an animal that's been handled by someone for a long time and was a very easy patient for us."
Originally described as being eight feet long by Winnipeg police, the snake turned out to be much smaller.
"We are pretty sure it is an unusual colour morph of a corn snake," said Watson. "It was about 40 inches or so, so large for a corn snake, but not the beast the public was concerned about the last couple of days."
Watson said corn snakes are nonvenomous and common in the pet trade.
"We presume that this was somebody's pet that had gotten loose somehow," he said. "There's a chance that someone set it free, but it looked like an animal that had been reasonably cared for."
According to Watson, this incident should be used as an example about responsible keeping of exotic animals.
He said snakes and other reptiles have very particular needs that can cause a variety of medical problems if not met. He also noted keeping them in captivity can stop them from doing some of their natural behaviours.
"This might give us the chance to consider that some animals might not be better off living in captivity," Watson said.
The City of Winnipeg said the snake is legal under the Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw and will be held as a stray. The city said it will find a new home for the snake if it isn't claimed.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Fewer medical students going into family medicine contributing to doctor shortage
As some family doctors are retiring and others are moving away from family medicine, there are fewer medical students to take their place.
'It's discriminatory': Individuals refused entry to Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.
Bodies found by U.S. authorities searching for missing B.C. kayakers
United States authorities who have been searching for a pair of missing kayakers from British Columbia since the weekend have recovered two bodies in the nearby San Juan Islands of Washington state.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Competition bureau finds 'substantial' anti-competitive effects with proposed Bunge-Viterra merger
The proposed merger of agricultural giants Viterra and Bunge is raising competition concerns from the federal government.