Sssshock as man finds a three-feet long snake in the garden and calls the RSPCA… only to find it was a toy!

An RSPCA inspector was called to a house in Manchester to confine what was thought to be a loose three-feet long snake spotted in a garden - but all was not what it seemed!

Dealing with potentially dangerous and unpredictable animals is all part of the job for RSPCA inspectors.

However, some calls don’t quite turn out as expected, as RSPCA inspector Demi Hodby discovered.

A man had spotted the snake while clearing the garden of his house in Prestwich, but continued his work keeping a close eye on the reptile as he didn’t want it to disappear into nearby shrubbery which he had cut down.

But after two hours the snake hadn’t moved and he thought it was enjoying basking in the sun - so he called the RSPCA for assistance.

Inspector Demi Hodby arrived at the scene and was prepared to rescue the reptile, something all inspectors are trained to do.

She said: “When I arrived I had my grasping pole ready to safely grab the snake.

"It's really important to approach these situations to confine the animal as safely as possible, particularly if it’s suspected that the snake may be venomous.

“However, it didn’t take me too long to realise that this snake was the plastic kind.

"Obviously we are trained to be able to identify snakes, but it is not so obvious to members of the public.

“The RSPCA would always recommend keeping a safe distance from an unidentified snake, so he did the right thing to be cautious and stay safe before calling us in to deal with the situation.

“He was really great and we both had a good laugh at the situation - he said he would be expecting some stick off his friends but didn’t mind and even posed for a picture for me with the toy.”

The man, who didn’t want to be named, said: “I was just cutting back some shrubbery when I noticed it and kept my eye on it because I thought if it moves I need to know where it goes.

“After a couple of hours of remaining still I decided to take my chance and call the RSPCA as I was worried about my wife’s reaction if she thought there was a snake on the loose.

"It looked so camouflaged in the leaves and was curled around so it looked convincing.

“When the inspector came and we both realised it was a toy we had to laugh about it - it was such a funny moment.

“I am really grateful to the RSPCA for coming out.

"I support animal charities and I think they do a great job in such testing times.”

The RSPCA would always recommend that anyone who sees an exotic snake to keep a safe distance.

Call the helpline on 0300 1234 999 and monitor the animal until assistance arrives.

Demi added: “We do get quite a number of calls about animals in distress which actually have innocent explanations. 

“I know sometimes we have gone to a sheep trapped in a bush which turned out to be a white plastic bag and a snake under a bed which actually turned out to be a sock!

"They are genuine calls from well-meaining members of the public so it is all part of the job.”

To help the RSPCA continue rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming animals in desperate need of care, please visit the website or call the donation line on 0300 123 8181.

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