A Sydney woman has been reunited with her two pet pythons after they were allegedly dumped on a Coogee street by her ex-partner more than three weeks ago.
The owner took to social media in October requesting community help to find the 2.5-metre snakes named Bagel and Mango. They were allegedly discarded on a main street in Coogee by her ex-boyfriend on 21 October.
Following media reports, New South Wales police charged a 25-year-old man with two counts of destroying or damaging property.
After a few sightings, Bagel was found outside Coogee RSL at the end of October and returned home. On Sunday, Mango, the albino snake, was found sleeping under a rock in a wall and also reunited with their overjoyed owner.
Police said “the snakes were located in the area and taken to vets for the owner to collect”.
The woman posted to her local community Facebook page on Monday expressing thanks to friends and neighbours.
“I wanted to share the incredible news that, thanks to the outstanding support of the community and the diligent work of the local police and Wires, my two precious pythons have been safely returned to me,” she wrote.
“I can’t express how grateful I am for the overwhelming response and assistance I received during this time. Your kindness, concern, and willingness to help were truly heartwarming.”
The owner gave a special shout-out to the two residents who spotted the snakes and Randwick police for their “swift action and dedication” to return her scaly friends home.
“I want to extend my deepest appreciation to each and every one of you who shared my post, kept an eye out, and offered words of encouragement. Your collective effort made all the difference,” she wrote.
“Thank you once again for being there for me and my scaly babies. Your kindness has touched my heart, and I’m so grateful to have such an incredible network of kind faces. Here’s to a happy reunion and to the power of community.”
Coogee residents flooded the page with messages of support. One woman wrote: “Awesome, I can sleep now.”
Another said their whole office had been anxiously awaiting updates on the safety of the pets.
“We have all been so invested in this,” they wrote. “So happy for your happy reunion.”
In late October, the owner wrote that her ex-boyfriend had allegedly “dumped them on Mount Street” in Coogee. She said the snakes were domesticated and would not survive in the wild.
“I’m really scared for their safety, so please if anyone has seen them let me know.”
Police on 28 October stated: “The snakes were allegedly placed in an unsecured box on the footpath at the front of the premises where they were unable to be later located.
“The owner of the snakes – a 25-year-old woman who is known to the man – reported the incident to officers from Eastern Beaches Police Area Command who commenced an investigation into the matter.”
