Two highly venomous snakes, housed in tiny tanks in a terraced house, are just two of the dangerous pets veteran reptile rescuer James Hennessy has been called to. This particular pair, a gaboon viper and a puff adder, were discovered by a landlord after his tenant left the country and his animals. Despite dogs needing to be licensed, in Ireland there is very little regulation around the ownership of dangerous animals by private individuals. Mr Hennessy said the public would be “massively” surprised if they knew the variety and number of exotic animals kept in homes around the country. The rest are registered in Co Down, and along with three ring-tailed lemurs there are 31 venomous snakes.

Source: The Irish Times December 29, 2025 16:32 UTC