NAROWAL: An “animal rescue team” of Sheikhupura Rescue 1122 on Tuesday caught eight venomous snakes from a house, but instead of handing the reptiles over to some zoo or medical facility, killed all of them in a shocking move.

According to Rescue 1122 Sheikhupura spokesperson, Mr Shahid, the emergency service received a call from one Umair, a resident of Burjwala Road Housing Society, who said he spotted two snakes entering his house.

The spokespersons said that on receiving the complaint, an “animal rescue team” was dispatched to the caller’s address.

He said as the rescuers launched a search, they found as many as eight snakes in the house. After a four-hour operation, he said, the team caught all of the snakes from different parts of the house, including kitchen, bedroom and washroom.

According to Rescue 1122 sources, the size of the venomous snakes caught from the house ranged between two and six feet.

Meanwhile, following the news of presence of eight venomous snakes in the house, panic gripped the housing colony residents.

The house owner, Umair, said he didn’t know from where so many snakes entered his house.

Locals, including Tanveer and Munir, said such incident had never happened in the housing colony. According to the spokesperson, the snakes caught from the house were later “killed”.

However, he could not explain why these snakes were not given to a zoo or some research facility for medical purposes as the team was supposed to rescue these reptiles.

Published in Dawn, December 22nd, 2021