A 7-Foot Boa Constrictor Is Loose in a N.C. Neighborhood. ‘No, This Is Not a Joke,’ Animal Shelter Warns

The Hoke County Animal Shelter announced on Facebook on Monday, Oct. 6, that a pet boa constrictor was on the loose in North Carolina

The shelter urged residents near Calloway Road and Summer Lane to keep children and pets away from the snake and call animal control if they see it

Boa constrictors rarely attack humans, but residents should not attempt to capture the escaped pet, experts say

A neighborhood is on high alert after a pet boa constrictor slithered free.

The Hoke County Animal Shelter (HCAS) in Raeford, North Carolina, shared in a Facebook post on Monday, Oct. 6, that a 6- to 7-foot snake escaped from its owners and was in the local area near Calloway Road and Summer Lane.

The HCAS did not say how the pet boa constrictor got loose, but it noted that anyone who spots the snake should call animal control, and the owner will be contacted if the snake is seen.

"No, this is not a joke," the shelter said, per The Charlotte Observer . "Owner stated it's very docile and is very worried."

The animal shelter also warned people to "keep a safe distance" from the snake and "keep children and pets away from the area." HCAS asked anyone who spots the reptile to "provide the location and a description" of where it was seen and to "not attempt to capture or contain it yourself."

Several people commented on the social media post, including one person who gave tips for finding the creature. They said the snake "will slow down once the sun goes down, so check corners of houses, garages... It's going to look for some kind of warmth asap."

Another chimed in, "It's more than likely close by on the property. They don't range far. Meters, not miles."

Native to Central and South America, boa constrictors are non-venomous. They can survive in many environments but thrive in tropical rainforests, according to Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI).

The boa constrictors' "patterns and coloring vary to allow them to camouflage," the institution added.

The NZCBI added that there are "very few cases of the species attacking humans," since "even human babies are too large to be suitable prey."

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While the disappearance of these pets is rare, it does happen on occasion. In 2024, a deputy with the York County Sheriff's Office located a boa constrictor — on a road in Shapleigh, Maine.

After the deputy secured the boa in his vehicle, authorities contacted the Maine Warden Service (the government office responsible for protecting the state's natural resources) to retrieve it. The service transported the boa to the Animal Welfare Society in Kennebunk, which attempted to locate the owner.