06/19/2026
🌈 Rest in Peace, Sweet Bertha 🌈
Our hearts are completely broken today as we say goodbye to a true shelter legend. Today, June 19, 2026, our beautiful, almost 16-year-old Ball Python, Bertha, passed away.
Bertha’s story is one of incredible resilience. She came to us in October of 2022 from a severe cruelty case alongside numerous other snakes. Bertha was the lone survivor. She had been neglected her entire life, but from the moment she arrived at the City of Hot Springs Animal Services, she chose nothing but love.
It didn't take long for her to find her absolute favorite human. Officer Fleming formed an unbreakable, inseparable bond with her. She truly became his girl. Every single day, ACO Fleming would take her for walks outside just so she could soak up the warm sunshine she loved so much.
For a snake, Bertha was an absolute social butterfly. She met hundreds, if not thousands, of citizens in our community and loved every single person she met. She shattered stereotypes and brought joy to so many—including a sweet little girl who, from the age of 3, would come into the shelter specifically asking to hold her beloved "Berffa."
She was loved by an entire community, but no one loved her more than her ACO daddy. Before she slipped away, he gave his girl one last kiss goodbye.
We love you, Bertha. You taught us so much about survival, trust, and gentle sweetness. You will be missed more than words can say. 🐍❤️
