Rare Venomous Snake Incident in Sioux Falls

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – Sioux Falls Animal Control handles thousands of calls annually. So far in 2025, only one involved a venomous snake bite.

The incident occurred last Sunday, when animal control officers discovered two African forest cobras escaped from their containers, along with a contained Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake.

According to reports, the cobras were in plastic totes that were knocked over. A Sioux Falls resident was bitten by one of the snakes and transported to the hospital.

“It’s very rare for us to encounter these types of animals,” stated Sioux Falls Animal Control Officer Silhouette Smith.

Animal Control officers must be prepared for a wide range of situations, from roaming ostriches to the recent call involving the three snakes.

You can read more about the ostrich incident here.