An advocacy group for reptile owners released a harrowing video this week showing Florida conservation officers killing 34 legally owned snakes and a pregnant Boa constrictor at a reptile sanctuary in the Sunshine State.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission told The Miami Herald that the snakes’ owner relinquished control of the animals to the officers and requested that they euthanize them, but the group, Reptile Keepers, disputes that claim.
In a statement, Reptile Keepers said most of the snakes belonged to snake collector Chris Coffee, who the FWCC forced to keep his snakes in captivity for a year following a legal issue.
The group explained Coffee had acquired a Conditional Species Permit when he bought 120 pythons, but the state government updated the law and rendered the permit obsolete in 2021. The group argues Coffee’s right to own the snakes should have been grandfathered in.
On April 6, conservation officers made an unannounced visit to the facility because they wanted to see if a python had escaped, and then they proceeded to kill the snakes.
According to the group, the officers misidentified the Boa constrictor as a python, so they killed it as well. The group told local media that the Boa was pregnant with 32 babies and each snake could have sold for up to $4,000. The owner of the snake, Bill McAdam, told reporters that he’s retained an attorney to possibly pursue the issue in court.
Meanwhile, the FWCC said it investigate the matter further. “Assembling the information and records required to provide a clear picture to the public on the facts of this incident may take time, but the FWC is committed to providing factual information when it becomes available,” the agency told reporters.
Doesn’t Florida have enough snakes, the only worth they have is a natural evasion species. Not worth $4,000.00 unless it’s a snake skin purse or boots.
There was NO REPORT of an “escaped python”. That was a huge lie they used to gain access to those snakes to kill them. Can you imagine someone coming into your house to kill your beloved pet AND THEY ASK YOU TO HOLD IT DOWN WHILE THEY SHOOT A BOLT INTO ITS HEAD?? Can you? Well that’s exactly what happened. Chris Coffee was told to hold down one of his snakes so it could be murdered. He could not do that so he left his camera there to witness this Massacre. That was no hidden camera. This monsters knew every were on camera and it didn’t make any difference! That’s how “bullet proof ” they felt. Like it didn’t matter if the whole world saw what they did. They didn’t care. Oh i bet they care now! This was NOT a legal means of euthanasia. Pets are too be given a 2- step euthanasia. First the animal is tranquilizer and THEN the death shot can be fired/injected. Those 34 snakes were NOT instantly killed. No, they were left writhing in pain on the floor for as long as 20 minutes after they were shot. They were to be Pithed…a procedure done to the brain stem/ spinal cord. It prevents the animal from feeling pain. Big Shirl’s bolt went her head and out through her jaw. SHE FELT EVERYTHING! ALL OF THEM WERE IN AGONY!!! That one Monster Animal Killer in his SWAT TEAM SCARE OUTFIT. Was pictured smiling at the Massacre he had just completed. He works for FFW… BUT DOESN’T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PYTHON AND A PREGNANT BOA! They threw some of these poor undead snakes into a garbage can AFTER posing for a picture holding an undead snake. He’s SMILING! May God have mercy on all reptile owners who are in for the battle of a life time. A pet is a pet! Finned, feathered,furry or with scales. We love our animals with the same passion as we do human children. These 3 men are going to have very difficult lives from that day on. That officer that was smiling while surrounded by coiled up dead snakes! SMILING!!! HOW COULD ANY HUMAN BEING SMILE WHILE SURROUNDED BY CARNAGE??? I hope he NEVER has a peaceful night’s sleep for the rest of his miserable life. Imagine if he has children, what are they going to think of their big strong gun toting badge wearing COWARD OF A FATHER??? Good bless all reptile and animal lovers around the world. May a Draconian incident like this never happen again! This is America! How did something this Barbaric take place in our modern world? FFW needs to do some ‘Spring Cleaning” and fire every single one of their “officers” and start from scratch to his GOOD PERIOD THAT LOVE ANIMALS! Wouldn’t you think a wild life agency would have people that love animals working for them? Big Shirl had 32 babies almost ready to be born. Those beautiful babies were worth over $100,000!!! That sweet snake was licensed and legal. That man that pretended to be shocked when he “realized” that he made “a mistake”, looked so freaking phoney. Poor acting!! There was a big sign on her cage saying NOT TO TOUCH HER! There were 4 color code tags on her cage.
Lex Corteguera, Jonathon Wright, Zach Beppel and Christopher Ryan are the names of those Barbarians! May they never be able to run from what atrocities they committed. These words were said after the end of the Holocaust..NEVER AGAIN!