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Animal Control sucks life out of OKC Rattlesnake and Venom Museum…

10:41 AM EDT on August 11, 2022

Things aren't looking so good for the OKC Rattlesnake and Venom Museum.

Just weeks after the Oklahoma Wildlife Department told the unaccredited zoo that Alice the Alligator couldn't live there anymore, Oklahoma City animal welfare officials informed the zoo that their collection of highly venomous snakes and other critters also have to go.

Here are some details via Fox 25:

The OKC Rattlesnake and Venom Museum says it is closing because animal welfare is forcing them to get rid of most of their animals.

The museum says they relocated most of their reptiles out of state because the city says only a zoo can keep venomous animals in city limit...

Geeze, that sucks. We've all been through a lot over the past couple of years, and it seems shitty for the city to wipe out a local business for simply having a venomous snake fetish. I guess you can say the museuem's quest to educate the masses about animal toxicology is snakebit.

Hensley says first the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation ordered them to get rid of a coyote and then an American Alligator named Allice Cooper, who got the attention of the rocker himself.

"We have complied with everything," Hensley said. "Why now? What happened? This was selective enforcement of things."

Yep, those fun-haters with OKC Animal Control are selectively choosing which local rattlesnake and venom museums to keep open, and which ones to shut down.

Although I feel for the people at the museum, I do think Animal Control has a point here. Should we really be housing venomous snakes and spiders in a ramshackle building on the southside?

Knowing our city's luck, it would probably be struck by an EF3 tornado next spring. Can you imagine the scene that would cause?

"Okay. Let's go to Val. He's at SW 59th and Penn. Talk to me Val."

"Snakes! David, Snakes! They're everywhere. Rattlesnakes. Pythons. Even Cobras.. And. Wait... ahhh... one's crashed through the windshield. Oh no!!! Ahhh!!! Help, David!!! HELP!!! HELLLLP!!!:

"Okay, uhm, let's go to Jim Gardner in Bob Mills Skynews 9. Check out that shot!"

Snakenado movie treatments aside, I'm Team Venom on this one. Although they can no longer house venomous creatures, the museum claims you haven't seen the last of them yet:


That's cool, but isn't part of the allure of a rattlesnake and venom museum the actual rattlesnakes and venom? The OKC Garter Snake, Box Turtle & Salmonella museum just doesn't have the same draw to it. I think they should look for a more tolerant and venom-accepting town to call home. You know, somewhere like Wynnewood.

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