A New Jersey woman feared a python could come through her car’s AC vent, and her answer for what she’d do next involved the fire department

Police officers in Franklin Township had to dismantle a car bumper to rescue a 3-foot ball python that became wedged in the front grille. Aiyana Hudson, the owner of the vehicle, made the discovery after returning home from a wheel alignment and realizing she had an unexpected guest hitching a ride. 

As reported by FOX News, the situation became a bit more complicated when local authorities realized their standard support network could not assist with the removal. Officer Lisseth Villacis explained that the police reached out to animal control for help, but the agency reportedly declined because they only handle domesticated animals. 

As Officer Villacis put it, “We tried getting animal control out there, and they’re like, they only deal with domesticated animals. And we’re like, oh shoot. OK. So, we’re kind of like the last resort.” Once it became clear that the police were the only ones available to handle the reptile, they got to work. 

The snake was removed without being harmed 

Body camera footage shows the responding officers carefully inspecting the vehicle and deciding to remove parts of the front bumper to reach the trapped animal. It took about 20 minutes of careful maneuvering, but the officers successfully untangled and freed the snake without harming it. 

Hudson expressed a significant amount of relief after the ordeal, especially considering what might have happened if the snake had made it inside the car. She noted that she was glad the snake did not emerge while she was driving. 

As Hudson told the outlet, “I was just really happy that it didn’t, like, pop its head through the AC vent when I was driving or come in through the steering wheel. I want to let you know my car would have been lit on fire, and we’d be calling the fire department at that point.” It is easy to understand her reaction, as the thought of a snake appearing near the steering wheel is enough to make anyone panic behind the wheel.

While the snake was safely relocated to the Franklin Township Animal Shelter, it remains a mystery how the python ended up inside the grille in the first place. This incident served as a prompt for Franklin Township Public Safety Director Lloyd Fredericks to remind the community about the rules regarding exotic pets. He emphasized that releasing such animals into the wild is illegal and poses a legitimate threat to both native wildlife and household pets.