I was so excited about my new couch — it looked perfect and matched my living room beautifully. It came from a small store that sold refurbished furniture. You’d never guess it was second-hand.

But the moment I brought it home, my dog Jerry started acting weird. He sniffed around the armrest, then began scratching and barking at it nonstop. I tried distracting him with toys and treats, but he was obsessed.

Hours passed. I started to worry. Jerry’s not the dramatic type — if he was this focused, something had to be wrong.

So, I grabbed a knife and carefully cut open the fabric. Inside the armrest, beneath the stuffing… was a dead snake. Decomposing. The smell hit me instantly.

I threw out the armrest and called a cleaning crew. They said the snake likely crawled in while the couch was in storage — and no one checked before reupholstering.

Since then, I’ve sworn off second-hand furniture.

And Jerry? He sleeps on the floor now. Honestly, I don’t blame him.