As San Diego’s hot weather brings out more snakes, a Poway man is offering to remove rattlesnakes from backyards free of charge.
Patrick Brady, 63, has dubbed himself “Trapper Pat.”
He got the idea to help out his neighbors after seeing a number of posts on the social media app Next Door. He said people were reporting seeing rattlesnakes in their back yards and weren’t sure what to do.
Brady, who’s been a Poway resident for more than 50 years, scoops up the snakes and relocates them rather than killing them.
"If it's in the garage, I don't set it outside the garage, I'll take it to the field, it's 300 feet away. I'll take it up in the field and let it go away from people and stuff like that," said Brady.
He says he’s gotten calls to relocate four rattlesnakes in the last two weeks and has video and photographs of the snakes he's removed.
Brady is also sharing some interesting stories of his encounters, not only with the snakes, but with homeowners’ other pets.
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"One woman said I have tortoises and chickens and pigs and guinea hens and everything down there so be careful of the pigs. I have to look out for rattlesnakes and pigs," said Brady.
Brady says he's willing to help out people who live in Poway and can usually respond within 10 minutes. He's reminding anyone who needs help removing a snake to keep a watchful eye on it.
"If you're going to call somebody, if you need to have them come help you with it, the best thing you can do for them is to be able to tell them where it's at," said Brady.
The County of San Diego advises anyone who crosses paths with a rattlesnake to walk the other way and allow the snake a path to get away.
