Zoey, a 5-pound chihuahua puppy from Colorado, is living proof this adage. She made headlines in 2007 after saving a toddler from the bite of a large rattlesnake.
Zoey, who was just 10 months old at the time, was in the back yard with her owner, Monty Long, and his 1-year-old grandson. As the boy played around the birdbath, Zoey darted between him and a rock on the other side, where a rattlesnake was slithering toward the child. This small but brave puppy took a snakebite above the eye in order to protect the boy.
While the Longs realized that snakes are part of the landscape where they live, they also realized how special their pet is. She’s not only their sweet little dog — she is their hero.
Zoey recovered from her snakebite after treatment by a vet, and the snake was killed by Monty Long.