A PET owner is being hunted by the RSPCA after two dead snakes were found in a bin bag dumped in a Lincoln river.
Officers from the charity were called after a boat owner spotted the creatures black plastic tomb at the boat moorings on Brayford Pool, near to the University of Lincoln.
Inside was an eight-foot reticulated python, an as yet unidentified two-foot long snake, snake skins and items from a tank used to keep the reptiles.
RSPCA animal collection officer Fran Whitten said it appears the snakes could have been in the water for a number of days.
“It’s very strange to find one snake dumped let alone two,” she said.
“We do not know at this stage if the snakes were alive when they were put in the bag and placed in the river.
“Currently we have specialists reviewing photographic evidence of the snakes and the bodies are being preserved.
“We would really like to hear from anyone who may have any information about these snakes to get in touch with the RSPCA, so we can establish where they came from and discover why they were just dumped.”
John Wilkinson, research officer for Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, said the snakes could have been dumped due to an inexperienced owner not knowing what to do with their pet and panicking.
“Snakes should not be seen as a light alternative, they are still living vertebrate creatures.
“We are against people keeping a number of large species because they are so difficult to keep responsibly – and a reticulated python would definitely come under that category.”
Anyone with information about the dumped snakes should contact the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999.