Shocked members of a beach cleaning club were horrified when they stumbled across a four-foot python in a local park.
Friends of Dumbarton Foreshore were litter-picking in Levengrove Park when they discovered the snake dumped in a plastic bag for life.
The serpent was dead when they found it on Sunday and had started to decompose.
One of the volunteers said: "The snake was clearly dead and had started to decay.
"We find unusual things on the beach every week, and this is not the first instance of us finding a deceased pet fly-tipped in a plastic bag - we've found dead dogs before.
"Our guess is these animals were once-loved pets whose owners have been unable to dig a grave or take their pet to the vet for disposal."
Sharon Comrie, animal rescue and re-homing centre superintendent, added: "Animals are a very special part of people's lives and the death of a beloved pet can be a heartbreaking and difficult experience.
"Often pet owners will decide to bury their animal in a garden or have them cremated.
"Anyone who considers their pet a member of their family will know the overwhelming sense of sadness this loss can bring."