Grand Prairie, Texas is a city situated within the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex.  It's located basically in between the two cities, right next door to Arlington.  According to the latest census, Grand Prairie has a population of over 175,000.  Since Tuesday, there has been one more thing to add to the general population of the city...a highly venomous cobra snake.

According to a Facebook Post by the Grand Prairie Police Department, on Tuesday, August 3, around 6:30 P.M., Grand Prairie Animal Services responded to a report of a missing snake from a residence in the 1800 block of Cherry Street. Usually, you think of a missing python, which tends to be a popular choice of people wanting snakes as pets.  However, upon arrival, the owner told authorities that he had noticed his venomous West African Banded Cobra snake missing from its enclosure around 5:00 P.M.

Animal Services, the owner, and a venomous snake apprehension professional actively searched for the snake inside and outside of the residence through the night with no success. Residents who live in the area and see any type of snake believed to be the missing cobra have been cautioned to not approach the snake and asked to call 911 immediately. In case you're wondering, the area where the snake escaped is located very close to Interstate 30, near Cockrell Hill.

The Grand Prairie Police Department has partnered with the Grand Prairie Fire Department who has alerted area hospitals of the missing snake and initiated a protocol with Parkland hospital to treat this type of snake bite in event of a human encounter. GPPD has also been in contact with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department related to policy and procedures on the permitting of venomous snakes in residential areas.

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