The Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control had warned that no one should attempt to handle the snake. “As with any snake, it will strike if cornered.”
Authorities caught an albino monocled cobra Thursday afternoon that had been on the loose in an affluent Los Angeles suburb since at least Monday.
The snake, which is illegal to own without a specialized wildlife permit, was found in the same area where it had been seen by the owner of a dog who was bitten, said Derek Brown, deputy director of the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control.
Residents of Thousand Oaks had been on alert since the dog was bitten on Monday.
The dog's owner managed to snap a photo before the snake slithered off, officials said, and the dog was taken to a vet for care.
Courtesy Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control