A deadly albino cobra that was on the loose for days in Southern California has been captured.

Los Angeles County animal control officers used metal hooks or tongs to grab the monocled cobra from a pile of scrap wood in a Thousand Oaks back garden.

The cobra's venom can kill in an hour. It had been on the run since at least Monday evening, when it reportedly bit a dog. The animal is expected to make a full recovery.

County spokesman Brandon Dowling says authorities are glad no people were bitten. Neighbours had been told to watch their children and keep pets indoors while the hunt was on.

The cobra is generally illegal in California, and the authorities have not found the owner.

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