A local woman attempted to exit a pet store with a boa constrictor hidden inside her pants to avoid paying for the animal. Reports from the staff of the Preuss Animal House said that the woman had most probably grabbed the snake while the employee's back was turned, quickly stuffed it inside her pants and exited the store.

A dog rescued a baby joey found in the pouch of the dead mother kangaroo, and brought it back to be cared for, according to the dog's owner. The dog, a short-haired pointer cross named Rex, was out with owner Leonie Allan, when he suddenly began to get agitated.

Authorities at a woman's house discovered a black python that they said might have been in the residence for two months, without the woman's knowledge. Officers from animal control received the report from the woman, who had been living in her apartment for two months, was watching television when the snake slithered out from behind the set.

A teenager from South Africa has developed an unusual yet strong bond with a 10-foot long Burmese long python, a bond that has been sustained for two years. The teenager, 11th-grader Simone Naidoo, got the python named Theo after falling in love with snakes at 10 years old. She saw the slithery creatures displayed at a window during a grade school fair.

Police arrested a 35-year old man Tuesday on charges of cruelty to animals after he was found to have a 14-foot python wrapped around his body while strolling along a highway. Long Island's Suffolk County police identified the suspect as Curtis Dewberry of Wading River.