ARIZONA NEWS
Phoenix-area dog goes viral after saving owner from rattlesnake bite
Jul 1, 2018, 2:25 PM | Updated: 4:34 pm
(Facebook/Paula Godwin)
(Facebook/Paula Godwin)
PHOENIX — A Phoenix-area pup is being deemed a “hero” for saving his owner from being bit by a rattlesnake during a hike over the weekend.
Paula Godwin, a woman from Anthem, said on Facebook that her and her two dogs, Copper and Todd, were hiking “bright and early” around 7th Street and Carefree Highway in Phoenix on June 29.
During the hike, Godwin said she almost stepped on a rattlesnake while they were walking down the hill, but Todd jumped in front of her, taking the bite instead.
“My hero of a puppy Todd saved me,” she said in her Facebook post.
“He jumped right in front of my leg were (sic) I surely would have got (sic) bit. This is what a hero looks like.”
Godwin told KTAR News 92.3 FM that the attack happened fast — she said she took Copper and Todd for a hike when she looked down and saw the rattlesnake.
“It bit Todd quickly then started rattling,” she said.
Godwin said she picked up Todd and started running down the hill with Copper. Within 20 minutes, she said, they were at an animal hospital, where Todd received anti-venom.
The photos of Todd’s bitten face were soon shared over to Twitter, where the famed We Rate Dogs account re-posted them — and they soon went viral.
This is Todd. He saved his human from a rattlesnake yesterday. A true h*ckin hero. He’s expected to make a full recovery and has been rewarded our fifth ever 15/10 pic.twitter.com/TsS6isI0Ew
— WeRateDogs™ (@dog_rates) July 1, 2018
“This is Todd. He saved his human from a rattlesnake yesterday. A true h*ckin hero. He’s expected to make a full recovery and has been rewarded our fifth ever 15/10,” the post read.
It has been interacted with more than 200,000 times since it was posted Sunday afternoon.
Matt Nelson, the person who runs the We Rate Dogs account, said Todd “shattered” all of the account’s records.
well Todd just shattered all of our records
— Corgis Saved: 1 (@matt___nelson) July 1, 2018
Godwin said she posted the photos to Facebook as a warning to other dog owners, but did not expect to go viral.
“People from the Philippines have been contacting us with well wishes,” she said.
But luckily, Godwin said Todd has recovered well and the swelling has even gone down.
KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Taylor Kinnerup contributed to this report.
