FARGO, ND — A pet snake that somehow ended up in the wrong Fargo house is now safe at the city pound while police try to find who owns it. Officers were called to a northside home on Oct. 12 after the people living there discovered the orange-and-gold snake inside.
According to the Fargo Police Department, the snake is being treated as a lost pet rather than a wild animal. Before it was moved to the pound, officers placed it in a plastic tub shaped like a police cruiser, and the department later shared photos of the brightly colored reptile during its unusual ride.
How officers handled the snake after the home discovery
The snake was first secured so it could be removed safely from the residence. Police said the temporary container was a plastic tub designed to look like a cruiser, an unusual but practical way to transport the animal before it was moved into a proper enclosure.
Once at the Fargo Pound, the snake was given a more suitable place to stay while authorities continued their search for the owner. Officials have not identified the type of snake beyond describing its orange-and-gold coloring, but they have made clear that it is being kept as a companion animal, not as wildlife.
The department’s photos showed the animal inside the small cruiser-themed carrier, highlighting just how unusual the call was for officers on duty that day.
Fargo officials say proof will be needed before release
Anyone who believes the snake may be theirs is being asked to contact the Fargo Pound at 701-232-7312, according to Valley News Live. Officials said the animal will stay there until its owner can be identified and verified.
That means a claim will require documentation or some other proof of ownership before the snake is released. City officials have not said how long the animal may remain at the pound if no one comes forward, but they have stressed that it will not be handed over without confirmation.
The approach is meant to make sure the snake goes back to the right home and does not end up with the wrong person after already turning up in the wrong one.
A stray pet, not a wild animal, in a city neighborhood
The case stood out because the snake was found inside a private home rather than outdoors. Police treated it as a missing pet from the start, which changed how officers handled the animal and where it was taken afterward.
North Dakota’s colder climate makes an indoor discovery especially notable, since a snake found in a house is more likely to have escaped or been released by an owner nearby than to be part of a typical outdoor encounter. Even so, officials did not say how the snake entered the residence or whether anyone had reported it missing before the Oct. 12 call.
For now, the animal is being cared for while officers and pound staff wait for someone to provide a credible claim.
Why the case drew attention beyond the police call
Part of the story’s appeal comes from the contrast between a routine police response and the odd image of a snake riding in a toy cruiser. Fargo police posted the photos themselves, turning an ordinary lost-pet situation into something far more memorable.
Animal misplacement cases can be stressful for both the pet and the people who find it, especially when the animal is something less common than a dog or cat. In this case, officers appear to have focused on keeping the snake secure while also making it easier to trace its owner.
The unusual transport may have been a joke-worthy detail, but the underlying issue was straightforward: a pet had gotten loose, and authorities were working to get it back home.
What to do if a pet snake goes missing
Fargo officials’ advice is simple for anyone missing a snake: call the pound and be ready to prove it is yours. That can include documentation or other identifying proof, which the city says will be required before the animal is released.
The case also shows why quick reporting matters when a pet reptile goes missing. A fast call to local animal services or police can help connect a found animal with its owner before confusion grows or the animal is moved farther from home.
For now, the orange-and-gold snake remains at the Fargo Pound, waiting for the person who can show it belongs to them.