SALT LAKE CITY — The Division of Wildlife Resources says rattlesnakes might be out earlier this year because of how dry this season has been.
One family experienced this, in person, after their dog was attacked while out on a hike.
Heera Sazevich was walking Levi, her friend’s dog, along the Ferguson Canyon trail, when Levi started barking loudly and then jumped back.
“I looked at his nose and he had two bleeding holes about an inch apart,” Sazevich said.
Levi trotted over to her and then Sazevich said he collapsed.
Picking Levi up, Sazevich walked nearly a mile along the trail before a Good Samaritan hiker found them and put Levi over his shoulders.
Once they made it out to the parking lot, Levi’s owners, Morgan Berk and Jonathan Horan rushed Levi to the veterinarian.
“Levi was not good,” Horan said. “His tongue was out, he was panting. He was basically dead weight and we were really worried.”
At the vet’s office, Levi was given two doses of anti-venom.
“Because of coronavirus, you weren’t allowed in the vet,” said Berk. “Which was actually a pretty traumatic piece for me, because I couldn’t even be next to my dog when he was getting treated.”
The vet told Horan and Berk that because they brought Levi over so quickly, he was going to recover.
Almost a week after the attack, Berk said Levi is finally acting like himself again.
Now, they’re just hoping no other families experience the same thing.
“Have your eyes and ears really open, and you’re listening and watching out,” Horan said.
