Police in Shapleigh had to deal with something cold-blooded on Friday, but it wasn’t a murder.

The York County Sheriff’s office say they received an animal complaint on Shapleigh Corner Road. But when deputy Jonathan Marshall showed up at the scene, he found an 8-foot-long Boa Constrictor.

Marshall brought the snake into his car to keep it safe, as ectothermic (cold-blooded) animals like Boas don’t do well in cold temperatures. The Maine Warden Service was told to collect the snake from there.

Boa Constrictors are native to South America, can grow up to 13 feet long and are non-venomous. It is legal to own one in Maine, but the owner has to acquire a permit from the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Many large reptiles get abandoned by their owners due to the difficulty of keeping one of these animals, leading to invasive populations in states like Florida.

Police ask that if you know the owner of the boa, call 207-324-1111 and ask for Deputy Marshall.