Image: B.C. Conservation Officer Service of B.C. / The B.C. Conservation Officer Service says it has seized a 9-foot-long Burmese python from a home in Chilliwack that was being illegally kept as a pet.

By Fraser Valley Today Staff

Python seized from Chilliwack home

Conservation officers seize massive python from Chilliwack home; enforcement action pending

Mar 27, 2024 | 3:42 PM

CHILLIWACK — The B.C. Conservation Officer Service says it has seized a 9-foot-long Burmese python from a home in Chilliwack where it was being illegally kept as a pet.

In a news release from the service, conservation officers say the COS, including its general investigations section and officers who are specially trained to handle exotic animals, executed a search warrant on Tuesday, March 26 and recovered the reptile from the home safely.

The seizure resulted from an ongoing investigation into the unlawful possession of the python. The python is currently being cared for at an undisclosed location as the investigation progresses. Enforcement action is pending.

It is illegal for anyone in B.C. to possess, ship, transport, or breed controlled alien species (CAS) without a special permit, such as those required by zoos or aquariums.

Conservation officers say it’s not the first time COS has seized exotic animals – over the last decade, officers have captured cheetahs, alligators and monkeys.

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The COS reports controlled alien species are not native to B.C. and do not constitute wildlife. The province governs and regulates all interactions with CAS to ensure public safety, and conservation officers are tasked with enforcing these regulations.

The penalties for possession without a permit are steep, spanning fines of up to $100,000 or a one-year jail term. There are approximately 1,200 animal species listed as CAS in the province.