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By Lydia Patrick
Life & Trends Reporter
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A professional snake wrangler was called out to a home after a black Labrador with discovered with a serpent entangled around her snout.
Bruce Ireland (@wrangler_bruce), 59, based in San Diego, California, responded to the call after the concerned owner sent him a photo of her 6-year-old dog, KC, with a large serpent coiled around her head. Footage of the dramatic rescue has since gone viral, racking up 29.9 million views and 655,940 likes on Instagram.
"With the homeowner holding my phone, l used a few of KC's favorite snacks to encourage her to release the snake. As seen in the video, it worked. I was able to secure the snake, who had only minor injuries, and release it back into nature," Ireland told Newsweek.
Read More on Life
Fortunately, the big yellow reptile turned out to be a San Diego Gopher Snake—a non-venomous species commonly found in Southern California.
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According to the California Herps database, the San Diego Gopher Snake (Pituophis catenifer annectens) is a subspecies of the Pacific gopher snake and can grow over seven feet in length.
Despite their intimidating appearance, they are harmless to humans and play an important role in controlling rodent populations. When threatened, gopher snakes often flatten their heads and hiss loudly, mimicking rattlesnakes to deter predators.
Ireland said that his team respond to thousands of snake calls annually and relocate them back into nature. He added that he has been working with snakes his entire life and runs the largest volunteer snake relocation service in the United States.
Being a Snake Wrangler
Professional guidance on snake wrangling emphasizes calmness, control and minimizing harm to both the snake and humans.
Experts at ReptilesSwell UK explain that trained handlers use specialized tools such as snake hooks and tongs, maintaining a safe distance and ensuring the snake is not stressed or injured during the process.
Snake wrangling requires patience, steady movements, and a deep understanding of reptile behavior.
'This is My Friend'
The viral video drew thousands of amused reactions online, with many users charmed by KC’s calm demeanor during the encounter.
"I always say Gopher Snakes are the labradors of Snakes, so this is just two Labs playing," said one user.
"Dog: This rope is being weird," quipped Maggie.
"This is my friend, he is hugging my face," added Dara.
"Okay this is adorable. The lab doesn’t even seem to see the problem. This is my friend the noodle. He likes to grab my nose'," added Sarah.
"It started out as a kiss how did it end up like this? It was only a kiss. IT WAS ONLY A KISS," joked Lindsey.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
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