'Hero' puppy recovering from snake bite after coming between rattler and dog owner

A “hero” golden retriever puppy prevented his owner from being bitten by a rattlesnake, Paula Godwin told ABC News Monday.

As Godwin of Anthem, Arizona, returned home Friday from hiking with her two dogs, Todd and Copper, 6-month-old Todd moved between her and the snake, ending up with the snake bite, she said.

“I did not see that snake,” Godwin, 44, said. “It was so camouflaged in the road. It was a gray-speckled, gray and white rattlesnake.”

Realizing immediately that Todd had been bitten, “I picked him up and ran down the hill, called the animal hospital where I live [nearby] and told them that I would be there in five minutes,” she said.

It took less than 15 minutes to get Todd treated by a veterinarian about 15 miles away from her house, Godwin said, adding that she acquired Todd from Craigslist in March.

“I got him to the hospital and they administered anti-venom right away,” she said. “They did not hesitate. He was there for about 12 hours, and we were able to bring him home Friday night.”

Godwin wrote on her Facebook account: “So this morning was up bright and early to go on a hike on 7th street carefree. It was a beautiful morning but as we were walking down the hill I literally almost stepped on a … rattlesnake. But my hero of a puppy Todd saved me He jumped right in front of my leg [where] I surely would have got bit. This is what a hero looks like. Please say a little prayer for my sweet hero.”

Todd is now recovering from the injury.

“I would not want this to happen to my dogs or anybody’s dogs,” Godwin told ABC News. “Of course, I would rather have been bitten by the snake, but he did [instead].

“It just so happened that he got in the way or at least he was too curious to see what was next to my legs, which saved me from getting bitten,” she added.

Whatever Todd’s intention, Godwin said, “he’s still my hero.”