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Read the press release here.

8-Foot-Long Boa Constrictor Found in Humboldt Park Garage

By Darryl Holliday | October 2, 2014 9:27am
 Photos show police using a baton to keep the snake from biting while it was removed Wednesday night.
Boa Constrictor Found in Humboldt Park
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HUMBOLDT PARK — You’d expect this sort of thing in Florida, but not in Chicago.

That was one woman’s reaction upon spotting an 8-foot-long snake working its way into (or out of) a garage door Wednesday night. The Lincoln Park Zoo identified the snake as a boa constrictor.

Sarah Marmor said the snake was originally found sticking halfway out of a garage door in the alley near North and Talman avenues by her two house guests Wednesday night. They immediately called 311.

Darryl Holliday discusses the snake's capture:

The two returned home and said, "I don't know how to tell you this, but there's a huge snake hanging from your neighbor's garage," Marmor said in an email Thursday morning.

“I was pretty horrified to see the snake, which was at least several feet long with beautiful markings — once you got over the freaky fact that it was a snake in a Chicago alley,” she added. 

Photos of the incident show police using an expandable baton to keep the snake from biting while it was removed. Later photos show the snake in an insulated box provided by Marmor.

The 8-foot long snake was found shortly after 9 p.m. in the 1500 Block of North Talman Avenue, according to Officer Janel Sedevic, a Chicago Police spokeswoman who said officers knocked on doors to find the owner, but to no avail.

“You hear about these things happening in Florida, but not in Chicago," Marmor said. "It was all around a bizarre experience, but the cops were just great. Lots of amazed laughter.”

About 6-8 officers eventually showed up, Marmor said.

“One cop had a stick and was pinning the snake's head, the lady cop was pulling its tail and the other cops pushed the garage door to free the snake,” she wrote. “I heard a collective yell when they got the snake down.”

That’s because the snake fell near one officer’s head while it was being removed, Marmor’s young house guest later reported.

The snake was taken to Animal Care and Control at 2741 S. Western Ave. and there is no immediate threat to the public, Sedevic said. No injuries were reported.

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