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Man bitten by rattlesnake in NE Philadelphia

A Mayfair man could lose his arm after he was bitten by his pet rattlesnake Sunday, according to the Animal Care and Control Team, which handles animal emergencies in Philadelphia.

A Mayfair man could lose his arm after he was bitten by his pet rattlesnake Sunday, according to the Animal Care and Control Team, which handles animal emergencies in Philadelphia.

ACCT handlers found the venomous reptile, believed to be a horned rattlesnake native to the desert and better known as a sidewinder, in the man's home on the 3500 block of Wellington Street, ACCT spokeswoman Ame Dorminy said.

Paramedics took him to the hospital, but his condition has not been reported.

Police called ACCT to the house for the snake. It is not yet clear why police were there in the first place.

Philadelphia prohibits "wild animals" or any critter that's "wild, fierce, dangerous, noxious or naturally inclined to do harm" as private pets, including venomous snakes, bears, alligators, crocodiles, primates and non-domesticated cats and dogs, according to the nonprofit Born Free USA.