A Rocky Point man turned in his pet, a venomous African spider, to authorities Friday after determining he could no longer care for the animal.
Suffolk SPCA Chief Roy Gross said the ornate golden baboon spider is 5 inches long and stands 3 inches tall. It can jump three feet with its hairy legs, and its half-inch fangs are poisonous, Gross said.
"I'm glad that he did the right thing to call us, rather than just releasing it because this certainly could've been a danger to the public," he said.
No charges were filed against the man because ownership of the spider is legal in New York State.
The spider was taken to a sanctuary in Massachusetts.