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1630 Shearwater Street Ontario, CA 91761

ARC Officers Complete Snake Rescue and Handling Certification

  • 8 hours ago
  • 2 min read
Four animal control officers pose indoors holding snakes, with storage bins of bedding material and a rattlesnake policy document on the table in front of them.

When most people think of animal control, they picture dogs and cats. Maybe the occasional runaway chicken. What they probably don't picture is a rattlesnake curled up in someone's garage, waiting for a knowledgeable professional to come handle the situation calmly, safely, and humanely.


That's exactly the scenario ARC's Animal Services Officers are now better prepared for. On Wednesday, August 12, ARC hosted Tom's Snakes & Rattlesnake Rescue on our campus for hands-on training in the safe and humane removal, rescue, handling, and release of venomous and non-venomous snakes.


Not Your Average Training Day

Wildlife-related calls are a regular part of the job for our officers, and this training was built to directly support that work. Officers learned how to identify potential hazards, safely contain and remove snakes, and determine the appropriate release practices for each situation, all while keeping personal safety, public safety, and the animal's welfare front and center.


It's a skill set that doesn't come up every day, but when it does, it really comes up; and our officers are the ones the community counts on to handle it.


An animal control officer uses a long snake hook to lift a snake off a grassy area near a road, while a colleague photographs the scene and a bucket labeled "DANGER VENOMOUS REPTILES" sits nearby.

A Regional Team Effort

ARC didn't just train solo. Officers from Pasadena Humane, Friends of Upland Animal Shelter, and Rancho Cucamonga Animal Center joined in, turning the day into a true regional collaboration. Everyone worked side by side, traded tips, and walked away certified in safe and humane snake response.




Ready for Whatever Comes Next

An officer in a dark uniform uses two snake hooks to guide a rattlesnake across a grassy area near a road, with a delivery truck and building visible in the background.

ARC's officers are already used to handling just about anything the job throws at them. This training adds one more tool to the belt, giving them the confidence and technique to protect the public while treating native wildlife with the respect it deserves.


A big thank-you to Tom's Snakes & Rattlesnake Rescue for leading the training, and to our partner agencies for showing up ready to learn. ARC was proud to host this course and bring these teams together and our officers are proud to put these new skills to work.


Learn more about our Field Services.

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