Venomous snakes, like rattlesnakes, have recently been seen a little too close for comfort in Osceola County neighborhoods.
Residents living around St. Cloud have been blowing up social media with pictures of dead venomous snakes. Now, a local organization is pleading with the public to learn more about those snakes before killing them.
If you start to hear this then you know one step in the wrong direction could put you face-to-face with a rattlesnake. Recently many people living in and around St. Cloud have seen the poisonous snakes in their front yard and are killing them.
At the Reptile World Serpentarium they are pleading with public to think twice before killing the snakes.
"We will come get the snakes. We much prefer that (over) seeing the snakes killed," said George VanHorn, the owner of Reptile World Serpentarium.
Don't get him wrong, VanHorn made it very clear that people's safety is his number one priority. He made it clear no one should approach a venomous snake. However he has worked with venomous snakes since the early 60s and knows just how dangerous and beneficial they can be.
"Snake venom proteins have activities that make it useful to study structure and function of physiological systems," VanHorn said.
So far, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports there is research linked to benefits from using venom to treat things like strokes, and cancer, as well as the obvious snake bite.
At the Serpentarium, they work with over 500 snakes to extract venom for research. It's a job VanHorn takes great pride in: studying one of the planets longest-living species, and educating the public about the snakes he works with.
But VanHorn urges anyone to remember, if you see a venomous snake or one that you think is venomous, then call the Serpentarium, they will send someone to come pick it up.
The phone number for the Reptile World Serpentarium is 407-892-6905, for more information you can visit their website here.