Animal Services wrangles big backyard rattler

Tracy DeFore

County of San Diego Communications Office

It’s spring and it seems everyone is enjoying the sunshine, even snakes. A Rancho Peñasquitos couple found a red diamond rattler in their backyard recently and called County Animal Services for help.

Animal Control Officer Joni Palumbo responded to the call. She’s handled snake calls before but never with a snake this large.

The snake was estimated to be about four feet long. Palumbo took the rattler away from the home and returned it to the wild in a canyon nearby.

Since January, County Animal Services has responded to 276 rattlesnake cal...