Exotic animals found at abandoned home

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) - While responding to a call for a stray dog, animal control officers happened upon an abandoned home filled with exotic animals in varying degrees of health.

Jan Clark with the Portsmouth Police Department says animal control officers were dispatched to a call for a stray dog in the 30 block of Hobson Street. Although they were not able to locate the dog, they found two 50-pound turtles inside of discarded bath tubs in the back of a home in the area of 35 Hobson Street.

After further searching the home, officers found a 4-foot venomous canebrake rattlesnake inside of a broken fish tank, five dead turtles, three unidentified dead snakes, an eel, shovelnose catfish and a "lovebird" parrot.

23 more turtles of varying size were found throughout the home, one of which was located inside of a dresser drawer.

"We don't know what's lurking around here," neighbor Edith Sessoms said. "Especially [because] I found a tiny turtle the other day."

According to Clark, the animal control officers were assisted by police as well as a local reptile rescue company, VIIPER (Virginians Interested in Protecting Every Reptile). All live animals were taken to the Portsmouth Humane Society.