Tourists on the Hollywood Walk of Fame got more than a celebrity sidewalk moment when a man showing off exotic snakes abruptly ditched the reptiles and ran, according to police. Officers moved in after trying to speak with him, then scooped up the snakes and handed them over to the city's animal-control staff for evaluation.
Hollywood Vice officers first spotted the man offering the snakes to passersby near the Hollywood Wax Museum, and the Los Angeles Police Department later posted photos of the recovered reptiles on social media, according to ABC7 Los Angeles. That report notes the man took off when officers approached, leaving the animals behind on the crowded tourist strip.
The Hollywood Patch reports officers placed the snakes in a bin before delivering them to Los Angeles Animal Control. Authorities did not specify how many snakes were collected or identify the species involved, and police also did not release the man's name or say whether he was later found, the Patch story notes.
Vice Unit Patrolling Tourist Corridor
The LAPD's Hollywood Vice Unit focuses on high-traffic zones such as Hollywood Boulevard and typically handles complaints related to prostitution, narcotics, and nightlife, according to ABC7 Los Angeles. Those duties often put officers in the middle of unpredictable situations along the tourist corridor, which in this case meant pivoting from nightlife enforcement to rounding up live reptiles on the sidewalk.
Animals Turned Over to City Animal Services
After securing the snakes, officers took the reptiles to Los Angeles Animal Services, the agency that responds to wildlife and rescue calls within city limits and advises the public to call 888-452-7381 about injured or distressed wild animals, according to LA Animal Services. The agency's guidance explains that animal-control officers can be dispatched when wildlife appears to be in distress, although it notes the city does not “control wild animals” that are simply present in public spaces.
Context on the Walk of Fame
Street performers, costumed characters, and aggressive photo vendors are part of the everyday backdrop on the Walk of Fame, and some visitor guides warn that unsolicited photo offers and “photo-op hustles” can leave tourists feeling pressured to pay up, according to Audiala. The region has also seen attention-grabbing exotic-animal cases before. In 2017, authorities seized dozens of snakes and several alligators from a Thousand Oaks home, according to the Los Angeles Times, a reminder of why officers and animal services take loose or abandoned reptiles seriously when they show up in public.
Anyone who encounters an animal that appears abandoned or dangerous is urged to call 911 if there is an immediate threat or follow the city's wildlife and found-animal reporting guidelines, according to LA Animal Services. Police also encourage visitors to keep their distance from unfamiliar animals and leave any handling or rescue work to trained officers and animal-control personnel.
