Animal welfare officers have been left ‘shocked’ after a dead three foot snake was dumped in water near Ottery.
The orange corn snake was found near a river inside a Vodafone router box that had been weighed down by stones.
The discovery was made by a member of the public on Wednesday, October 24.
The RSPCA is now appealing for any information as to how the reptile came to be left in the river.
Alison Sparkes, RSCPA animal welfare officer, said: “We would like to hear from anyone who can shed any light on what happened or how this snake came to be dumped in such a terrible state.
“Reptiles appear to have increased in popularity as pets and the number of related incidents dealt with by the RSPCA has risen in recent years. Sadly as their popularity as pets increases so does the number of calls we receive about them and the number of calls we receive relating to abandoned, stray or neglected reptiles have increased across the country.
“We are finding that many people are unaware of how much of a commitment these animals are when they take them on, which we believe may be why we are rescuing hundreds of reptiles every year.”
Anyone with information can call the RSPCA appeal line on 0300 123 8018.
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