Snake linked to deaths of 2 brothers illegal in New Brunswick

A New Brunswick government official says the type of python that escaped from a Campbellton reptile store over the weekend and is believed to have killed two young brothers is not permitted in the province.

Steven Benteau, a spokesman for the Department of Natural Resources, says African rock pythons are not allowed under the Exotic Wildlife Regulation.

"It is illegal for anyone to keep any exotic species that is not listed in the regulation unless they have a permit from the Department of Natural Resources," according to a statement from the department on Tuesday.

"If such an animal is found, it will be confiscated and the person who possesses the animal can be charged under the Fish and Wildlife Act."

The statement comes a day after Noah Barthe, 5, and Connor Barthe, 7, were found dead in an apartment above Reptile Ocean. On Tuesday, the City of Campbellton's deputy mayor said previous complaints about Reptile Ocean will be probed.

RCMP believe the boys were killed by a large African rock python, which is believed to have escaped from the store and made its way through the ventilation system, into the apartment where the brothers were on a sleepover.

Autopsies are scheduled to be performed on Tuesday.

The Department of Natural Resources said it could not comment on the specifics of the case as it is being investigated by the RCMP as a criminal matter.

But the New Brunswick SPCA, which, under provincial law licenses all pet stores, also has no record of having licensed Reptile Ocean, officials said.

The only other way the store could operate would be as a refuge, for which it would need a permit from the department.

Petition being probed

Campbellton Deputy Mayor Ian Comeau says he was not aware there was a petition to shut down Reptile Ocean. (CBC)

Ian Comeau, Campbellton's deputy mayor and chair of the city's public protective services, said earlier Tuesday he just learned about an online petition to shut down the shop over the way its animals were being treated.

The petition, Shut Down Reptile Ocean, has 185 signatures from around the world.

"I know one thing, that petition never came to council. We never dealt with the complaints," said Comeau.

"So we will be checking that again this morning with our administrator and the clerk in regards to whether we had received complaints to that business."

A criminal investigation has been launched.

Community seeking answers

A small shrine is starting to grow outside the pet store. (Michael Dick/CBC)

Comeau says the community, which has a population of about 7,500 and is on the shores of the Restigouche River, is reacting with shock and disbelief.

Many people stopped by the pet store on Tuesday and were overcome with emotion, said CBC's Michael Dick.

A coroner is on site and it is very quiet on the street, he said.

A small shrine to the victims has been started outside the shop. It already includes several teddy bears.

Citizens want to know what happened, said the deputy mayor.

"You don't expect that to happen in a town like Campbellton or in any town in Canada, so it’s a real tragedy, it’s unbelievable," said Comeau.

"We are going to have to deal with the consequences now in regards to that business and what we will do."

Comeau says he was part of an inspection of Reptile Ocean two years ago when he was a volunteer firefighter.

"Everything seemed to be you know, legal, OK, legitimate and everything else. So something happened on that night for the snake to escape and we’ll certainly go and look at the reasons because the death of these two kids certainly can not go in vain."

He said he was surprised to learn there was an apartment above the pet store.

Reviewing bylaws

"That's something we will be looking at through our bylaws. The RCMP want them this morning in regards to the legality of that business."

Recent New Brunswick laws allow the sale of non-venomous snakes up to three metres long.

Laws regulating the types and sizes of snakes allowed as pets vary across Canada, changing from one community to the next.

In Campbellton, the bylaws allowed for a "zoo" at Reptile Ocean, said Comeau.

"During school time a lot of kids would go there with their teachers and visit all of the reptiles he had. Apparently he sold some smaller reptiles and food for the reptiles, so it was allowed. Knowing what we know today, I don’t know if we would have allowed it, but you know it’s always things like that that happen and then you know you question yourself," he said.

"We will be looking at all those avenues and everything else to make sure things like that don't happen again and make sure the neighbours, the public are safe."