The Transportation Security Administration says that they stopped a passenger who attempted to bring a massive boa constrictor in their carry-on bag. The incident occurred at the Tampa International Airport last month.
TSA spokesperson Lisa Farbstein explained to CNN that the four-foot-long snake belonged to a woman who claimed it was her “emotional support pet.” Agents detected it while the bag passed through an x-ray machine. The snake, named Bartholomew, was not allowed on the flight.
Farbstein further explained: "TSA notified the airline that the woman (with the carry-on) was ticketed to fly on and the airline did not permit the snake on the plane."
The organization confirmed the incident in a post on Instagram afterward.
“There’s a danger noodle in that bag… Our officers at Tampa International Airport didn’t find this hyssssssterical!” the TSA wrote in the caption. “Coiled up in a passenger’s carry-on was a 4’ boa constrictor! We really have no adder-ation for discovering any pet going through an x-ray machine. Do you have asp-irations of taking a snake on a plane?"
“Has all this left you wanting to squeeze out more travel answers?” the agency continued. “You can always mamba on over to our friends at AskTSA! They’ll rattle out responses to your questions 7 days a week, from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. (ET).”
Bartholomew is far from the first animal TSA has discovered at an airport. Back in November, they also found a cat in a carry-on at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. TSA agents also found a dog stuffed into a carry-on at Dane County Regional Airport in Madison, Wisconsin in recent months.
Check out the Instagram post shared by TSA below.
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