Restaurant violates health code with snakes

An Altavista restaurant committed a critical violation of the health code by having snakes in the building, according to the Central Virginia Health District Environmental Health Manager Steve Simpson.

Napoli’s Italian Restaurant, located on Main Street, was ordered to remove two snakes from its building July 29, he said. Two snakes in containers were in the manager’s office, said Simpson.

Having live animals anywhere in a restaurant is not allowed, with exceptions, he said.

Section 12 VAC 5-421-3310 of the Virginia food regulations lists the exceptions, such as edible or decorative fish in aquariums and service dogs for disabled persons.

Simpson said the health department was contacted about snakes being in the restaurant. He sent two environmental health specialists to Altavista, and they were escorted to the restaurant by two Altavista police officers.

Simpson said the restaurant removed the snakes as ordered. The restaurant was not closed because the staff did cooperate, he said.

Environmental health specialists will do a follow-up inspection at the restaurant on Aug. 4, he said.

Simpson said, “Reptiles have salmonella all over them.”

Cross contamination could occur if restaurant workers handled the snakes and then handled food without washing their hands, he said.

“This is a first for me,” Simpson said about having a case of snakes in a restaurant.

A manager at Napoli’s declined to comment on the incident on Friday.

Altavista Police Department Deputy Chief Ken Walsh did not escort the health department officials to the restaurant, but he said the snakes were pythons, one about five feet long and one about one foot long.