Straight from the "Your Worst Nightmare" files, a woman in Western New York recently stumbled upon a very, very, VERY unwelcome guest in her backyard: a 9-foot boa constrictor.

After hurrying her granddaughter (and dog) to safety, Schmitz dialed the Erie County SPCA, who arrived promptly. The SPCA workers were able to detain the boa without much incident.

WHAT WAS A SOUTH AMERICAN SNAKE DOING IN A WESTERN NEW YORK YARD?

It was determined that this particular snake was probably an escaped pet from some herpetology lover, or was released into the wild by someone no longer interested in caring for it. Either that, or pro wrestler Jake "The Snake" Roberts was in town.

seller sportfolioonline on eBay

"Dumping" unwanted pets, unfortunately, is a fairly common problem.

"We don't know exactly how this happened .. but there will be an investigation into this. Dumping, while hard to prove, is something that can cause real danger, and there are punishments involved here." -SPCA Officer Jennifer Maleskis

The Erie County SPCA put the boa constrictor up for adoption. Calls about its current availability were not immediately returned.

One can imagine the extreme shock this woman felt after her unwelcome discovery. Personally, I'd be less freaked out if I saw a headless Civil War ghost in my backyard.

Be On The Lookout For These Three Venomous Snakes In New York

LOOK: Exotic Animals You Can Own In New York

Looking for an exotic pet to own legally in New York State? Here is a list of some animals that you can have aside from regular dogs, cats, and farm animals.

List of Registered Animal Abusers in Upstate New York

Here is a list of people in Upstate NY charged with animal cruelty, according to the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society and the Albany County Sherrif's Department