TSA finds an ‘emotional support’ snake in a passenger’s luggage

© Provided by WBBM Radio Chicago Persons items going through an X-ray machine at the airport.

When thinking of animals that offer emotional support, often dogs or cats come to mind. But one person going through TSA screening in Tampa preferred a more scally companion.

The Transportation Security Administration at Tampa International Airport shared on social media that it was given quite a surprise last month when security screeners found a snake inside a woman’s luggage.

The TSA shared in the post the X-ray scan, and in it, the four-foot-long boa constrictor, described by the woman as an “emotional support pet,” could be seen curled up inside the luggage, according to a spokesperson.

While some pets are allowed on flights, the TSA agents checked with the woman’s airline, and the bad news for the snake, it was not allowed on the flight while loose in a suitcase.

No airlines allow snakes to fly on planes via carry-on luggage, especially after one got loose last year, but some do accept them when packaged correctly in checked luggage, according to the TSA.

Nonetheless, the snake was not permitted on the flight, and a “Snakes on a Plane” remake did not occur.