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Man’s (and in this case, woman’s) best friend has been a fitting moniker for dogs since the inter-species partnership began and Todd, a golden retriever in Arizona, is yet another piece of evidence for the case.
Todd and his owner, Paula Godwin, were out for a hike when Todd spotted a rattlesnake on the trail and quickly put himself in harm’s way.
Godwin wrote on Facebook that he jumped between her and the agitated animal and took a nasty bite on the face for his trouble.
She rushed him to the vet, getting him there in less than 10 minutes. Doctors began treating him immediately according to KPHO-TV.
“This is what a hero looks like,” Godwin wrote alongside a photo of her pup, whose swollen face bore the mark of the rattler.
Despite the heartbreaking photos, Todd is recovering, Godwin posted online.
What a sweet pup! <3