Venomous Snakes, Alligators Found (Some Dead) At Butler Man's Home

Animal control officers who showed up to a Butler man's home to remove dogs ended up finding poisonous snakes and alligators, some of which had died, reports say.

A puff adder was among several other snakes and alligators found in the home of a Butler man.
Photo Credit: *Bernard Dupont Wikipedia*

Cecilia Levine

05/16/2019 9:09 a.m.

Joseph Faris, 37, had the three American alligators, two caiman, a prairie rattlesnake, monocled cobra, Gaboon viper and puff adder in his Decker Road home because of his wife's business selling them, his attorney told NJ.com.

Officials obtained a search warrant for Faris' home last spring when they spotted a rattlesnake and alligator while removing four or five German Shepherds he wanted out of the house, NJ.com reports.

Faris is facing a criminal charge because several of the animals died, apparently when Faris moved out of the house during a marital dispute and the animals weren't properly cared for, according to NJ.com. He also was issued 55 summonses for keeping the animals there without a permit, the article says.

Faris' attorney says he "got sloppy" with some of the paperwork although much of what he did was legal.

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