It's a plain fact that a lot of people don't like snakes, even if those of us here don't understand why not. And for some reason, a lot of snake-haters find their way to the kingsnake.com Facebook page, where they feel a need to inform us that they don't like our animals. So a story like this one is both welcome and a little surprising.

From WFLA.com in Tampa, Florida:

A five foot boa constrictor was found crawling around a Super Shuttle Airport van at Tampa International Airport on Sunday afternoon.

Lt. Natalie Brown with Tampa Fire Rescue volunteered to catch the snake after hearing the call go out over the Airport Police radio. Lt. Brown went to the cell phone lot at TIA and found the snake outside of the shuttle. She captured the snake with a pillow case borrowed from a co-worker's bed.

"I do not like snakes," said Brown, "I am just glad that the snake is safe. It was dangerous, the snake was in the parking lot and could have been run over."

"It is a beautiful snake," said Brown who believes it could be somebody's pet.

Thanks, Lt. Brown, for putting aside your own aversion to snakes and doing the right thing, and not just hacking the snake to death as so often happens in similar circumstances!

And herpers, why not head over to the Tampa Fire Rescue Facebook page and let them know we appreciate her compassion?

Read more here.