A doggone hero! Paula Godwin of Anthem, Arizona, says her Golden Retriever saved her from a rattlesnake bite, though the dog suffered a bite himself in the process.
In a Facebook post, Godwin says she and her dogs were on a “carefree” hike early on the morning of Friday, June 29, when she “literally almost stepped” on the venomous snake.
“But my hero of a puppy Todd saved me,” she added. “He jumped right in front of my leg [where] I surely would have [gotten] bit. This is what a hero looks like.”
Todd didn’t make it out unscathed, however. Godwin’s Facebook photos show the pooch with a swollen nose.
But now Todd is on the mend and is doing “so well,” as his owner said in a Facebook update posted on Sunday, July 1.
“He is a wonder to me how he is healing,” Godwin observed. She also thanked all of Todd’s admirers and well-wishers, writing, “Your kindness and support is truly a blessing.”
In celebration of Todd’s heroics, a GoFundMe campaign has been launched to support Anthem Pets Animal Rescue. “Brave Todd jumped on and tried to tackle the snake before it hit his momma Paula,” the fundraiser’s description reads. “Todd showed great bravery at less than a year old! We are raising money on Todd’s behalf to provide help to other dogs and owners around the valley who may need help with paying bills for anti-venom as in this case!”
