Snakes are everywhere in Kansas, but the last place a student or faculty member of Garden City Community College expects to find a snake is in a campus buildings. Last Thursday, on Sept. 19, Chuck Pfeifer, Dean of Technical Education and Workforce Development, found a snake in his office located in the John Deere building. He noticed the snake as it poked its head between the hinges of the door that opened to his office. The snake later made an escape and hid somewhere in Chuck’s office. As news spread that a snake had found its way into the office, several faculty members aided in the search for the snake, but had no luck finding the serpent.

Luckily, Gary Kuenstler, a Criminal Justice Instructor, and Jim Hash, the Head Rodeo Coach, came to the rescue. Once the desk was moved, the snake was found coiled up behind. Precautionary actions were taken to remove the snake from behind the desk, and was then removed from the building. After removing the snake from the premises, it was determined that the snake was not venomous.

Regardless if a snake appears venomous, when a student finds a snake, they should contact a faculty member and show them where they found the snake. If a student is bitten they should seek medical attention. Other students around the area of the snake should avoid the area and let a faculty member know of the situation.

Most snakes will leave humans alone, but it is still important to leave these animals alone if they are spotted. Snakes on campus should always be reported regardless if a student believes it is venomous or not. When dealing with these animals it is important to take smart actions to stay safe and avoid a trip to the doctors office.