A woman tried to bring a boa constrictor inside her carry-on luggage on her flight out of Tampa International Airport in Florida last month, according to the Transportation Security Administration.
TSA agents discovered the 4-foot-long snake curled up inside the womans luggage when they saw it in an X-ray scan.
According to TSA spokesperson Lisa Farbstein, the woman said the boa constrictor, named Bartholomew, was her emotional support animal. “TSA notified the airline, which ruled that there was not going to be a snake on their plane,” Farbstein tweeted alongside an X-ray image of the snake.
In an Instagram post, the agency reminded passengers to check with their airlines before traveling with animals. Airlines dont allow snakes in carry-on bags, and “only a few” allow them when properly packaged in checked bags, the agency said.