Man On Stroll With Python Arrested

35-Year-Old Owner Had 14-Foot Burmese Python Wrapped Around Him As He Walked Down Highway

(CBS/AP)  A man was arrested Tuesday for walking on a highway with a 14-foot python wrapped around his body, police said.

Police in Long Island's Suffolk County say 35-year-old Curtis Dewberry of Wading River was spotted by an officer for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals while out strolling Tuesday afternoon.

The officer called police because the python is considered a danger to the public.

Dewberry has been charged with animal cruelty and failure to protect the public against dangerous wildlife. He was being held Tuesday and didn't have a lawyer.

A witness who saw Dewberry being arrested told Newsday that he appeared to be a nice guy.

"He was just walking by with a snake. He wasn't doing anything wrong," the witness told the newspaper.

"I asked him, 'Is that real?' And he said, 'Yeah.' Next thing I know, he was being arrested," the witness said.

[cfin5]

Oh brother, a duffus with a "Hey wook at me! I got a gweat big thhhhnake!" attitude.......Just take the snake to the zoo and call the white-coated happy farm fellers to take him to the other kind of zoo.

[Krazcarl]

kansas1946...You think it''s cool to walk down a public way way with a 14 foot snake wraped around you scaring the h*ll out of ladies and older folks and those that suffer phobias. Me I think it''s just plain stupid he had to be on something if your idea of fun is scaring the beejesus out of someone or on the up side just trying to cool thats lame and makes the creature unsafe.

[kansas1946]

I am not a big fan of people owning exotic animals, mainly because the animals usually end up abandoned, abused, or negleted, but this story sounds wrong. Why would an SPCA official call the police? It doesn''t sound like any laws were being broken and they just made up some charges to fit what they had on the books. The SPCA has done great work, but these type of tactics and "arrest someone because I don''t approve of what they are doing even though it is legal" is bound to be bad publicity for the organization and harms their mission.

[Netterz]

I personally hate snakes, but agree that this person should not have the animal. Being coldblooded animals, they require heat, and living up here in the north, were topping out at about 10 degrees during the day, it would easily freeze to death rather quickly. I can honestly say I have never seen a snake slither across the snow. Snakes are predators by nature, unpredictable at best. At 14 ft, should he decide to go after a dog, or child, hes far stronger& quicker on strike than his owner. Some states have laws on non native snakes, I know that here in MI, you are not allowed to possess any native animal with out a special license, as well as a list of non natives. I would say its about a dangerous as walking a tiger down the street if it was ticked off or hungry.

[jj295_2]

I think the police over reacted....

[Krazcarl]

nolalou...It''s the blog crackhead thinks there cute and smarter than the rest of us keeps changing thier name after we get them banned a child a idiot or a child idiot I don''t know or care but yes very anoying and makes Tucker look like he has class and I didn''t think that possible....

[nolalou]

acrnmnts, I also conversed with the almighty, and guess what, he said you''re f-ing nuts!

[Krazcarl]

I know a lot of folks that are scared of snakes and this would terribly upsetting to them to run into this guy some folks have phobias and snakes are a big one. Any fool should KNOW this so running around in public with a 14 foot snake wrapped around you should be a no brainer what happens if some poor elderly drops of a heart attack. He''s a sick cookie looking for attention and should be tossed in jail it''s a 14 foot snake not a poodle he was asking he was begging for it and got it.

[dragyn30]

I don''t get how the snake could be a danger to the public. Big snakes are sold in pet shops everywhere.

While I think it was a little foolish to take a snake out like that in the winter, I think the officer needs to get a grip.

[roninco]

I own 2 Albino Burmese and you''re either being paranoid or foolish. They are very docile creatures if taken care of correctly.

If the weather was a bitter cold, then I agree about the cruelty, but if it was a mild day the snake was getting all the warmth it needed from his owner, and it''s good for it to get sunshine and fresh air.

[jetlizhan]

not doing this should have come under the heading of "common sense" of which, obviously, he has none. build a florida room in your house for this reptile.

[roninco]

I own 2 Albino Burmese and you''re either being paranoid or foolish. They are very docile creatures if taken care of correctly.

If the weather was a bitter cold, then I agree about the cruelty, but if it was a mild day the snake was getting all the warmth it needed from his owner, and it''s good for it to get sunshine and fresh air.

[realpatriot1]

He may be a nice guy but he isn''t very thoughtful. I used to own a pet store with a very tame 14 foot Burmese. They have poor eyesight and operate on the sense of smell and if they diecided to go after someone''s dog they would be difficult to control.

Also, they''re tropical creatures and could become very sick being outside in winter for that length of time.This was animal cruelty and public endangerment for sure.

[rushman71]

tail_honcho: I agree. The guy was just out taking his pet for a walk. The only person who would have been possibly harmed was himself. They need to probe the officer towards unnecessary arrest.

[Krazcarl]

What some folks won''t do for a little attention...He got some..

[wogerwabbit]

he should have kept his snake in his pants...