Tuesday his name was Trigger.

Today, it’s Hero.

“That’s what I’m going to call him from now on,” said Jeremy Oliver. “He is a hero. He saved my life and my girl friend’s, too. That makes him a hero to me.”

Oliver was speaking, through a wide grin, about his dog, Trigger, who possibly saved, either his life or the life of Sharon Williamson. Or, at least, the mixed-pup saved them from the pain and agony of a rattlesnake bite.

“We were walking along the churchyard in Goshen, Goshen Baptist Church, just after dark Tuesday,” Williamson said. “Trigger started barking before we got up to where he was –up around some bushes. Then he jumped back one time and then two times. When I saw that, I told Jeremy to get back. I know how dogs act around snakes.”

Oliver said he, too, thought that they had rattled a snake.

“I said that we’d better get away from there before we got bit,” he said.

Trigger trailed behind Oliver and Williamson as they headed toward home.

“Trigger stopped and stood holding his paw and that’s when we knew that he had been snake bitten,” Oliver said. “We went to the house and called the Pike Animal Hospital but the office was closed so we call the emergency number and Dr. Lawrence Johnston came from Brundidge to take care of Trigger.

“He said it was a snake bite and it was a rattlesnake. He said it was probably a small snake but they have as much venom as a big snake.”

Trigger was released from Pike Animal Hospital Thursday and Oliver said he seems to be doing fine.

“Dr. Johnston took good of Trigger and we’re so proud that he’s all right,” Oliver said.

“To us, he’ll always be our hero because he saved us from getting snake bit. He’s a hero and our best friend.”

Oliver said snakes are crawling and cautioned everyone to be careful and ever watchful because not everyone is lucky enough to have a hero around to warn of impending danger.