Snake found hiding in boiler by new home owner

A kingsnake which slithered out of a boiler and "gave a shock" to a new home owner has been taken to an animal sanctuary.

Pet Encounter Cumbria was called by a woman, who had just moved into her house in Workington, after she found the reptile had made itself at home in her kitchen at about 20:00 BST on Monday.

Siobhan Harkness, from the animal sanctuary, said it was told the previous owner had three snakes and it looked like they had been released before the property was vacated, adding the "other two were yet to make an appearance".

Harkness said the snake had suffered some scale damage and was "very hungry" but was being cared for and would "soon be needing to find its forever home".

"No animal deserves to be treated like that...there are people who will help take in animals," she said.

"Abandoning or releasing into the wild is never the answer."

On Monday, Harkness's team "rehydrated, health-checked and fed the snake" before it "settled in for the night" at the sanctuary.

"It is a lovely snake who will be needing to find its forever home as sadly we get loads of animals in for rehoming," she added.

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