WINCHESTER, Ky. (WKYT) -There’s a missing pet roaming around Winchester, but not the type you’d think
It’s a red-tailed boa constrictor that has been away from home since Tuesday.
Meet Kia, an eight-foot-long boa constrictor, who isn’t just a reptile but a best friend to Wes Cartwright and his family, including his six-year-old daughter.
“She’ll laugh at everyone else that’s scared of her because she’s a little petite girl who thinks it’s silly to be scared,” Cartwright said about his daughter. “The snake is a pet just like a dog or a cat.”
The Cartwright family has been left distraught after Kia escaped a cage, left home and hasn’t returned.
This isn’t her first time. In 2022, she was found going across the street in Lexington and that’s when Cartwright was able to adopt her from Lexington Humane Society.
“She might be a little bit of an escape artist,” Cartwright said.
She was last seen on Hood Ave from a resident’s ring doorbell camera, just slithering across the road.
Now the town is searching for their beloved pet of two years; police, neighbors and even some furry friends have joined the search.
Cartwright said she could be in anything from vegetation and trees to under a front porch.
“My main concern is her getting hit in the roadway, someone just thinking it’s a stick and running over her,” he said.
Many residents of Winchester have expressed their concerns on social media, and many are worried about leaving their pets outside due to the large reptile roaming around.
Cartwright said he hopes to change people’s perspectives on snakes through this search.
“She’s very gentle. I sit on the couch and watch television with her in my lap,” he said. “So she’s not going to hurt anyone. Your pets are safe, your young children are definitely safe. Just if you see it, just make sure you make the appropriate phone calls.”
If you have seen Kia or have heard of her whereabouts, you can contact the owner at 859-595-7075 or 556-1092.
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