Moogan, the rescue dog, is a hero who still needs a home.
The sweet senior pup is available for adoption at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah, where he moved from a shelter to have more access to open spaces. A vet exam shortly after Moogan’s arrival revealed the dog had a degenerative eye condition known as sudden acquired retinal degeneration, according to Best Friends.
Because of the condition, Moohan is now blind, but that didn’t stop him from protecting his friend Dan Fishbein, a local volunteer at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary.
“I do four morning shifts each week at Dogtown [one of the sanctuary’s dog facilities]. Since I’m there regularly I am able to take out dogs who require a relationship to be able to interact. I am trained at the highest level (Red), meaning I can work with almost all the dogs,” Fishbein tells PEOPLE.
Fishbein started walking Moogan during his shifts soon after the dog moved to the sanctuary. “His eyes were a bit better then. He was an extreme puller on his walks and required two hands on the leash. Friendly and always got excited when it was time for his walk,” the volunteer says.
Best Friends Animal Society
The 11-year-old dog is now considered blind, as he can only see shadowy shapes, but that was enough for Moogan to spot a camouflaged rattlesnake on a walk with Fishbein last year.
“We were walking on one of the main dog trails. I was focused on watching Moogan. The rattler was coiled tightly and well camouflaged. Moogan started pulling to the right, and as I looked down, he was preparing to explore the snake,” Fishbein says of the moment.
“Had Moogan not noticed the snake, there’s a good chance I would have stumbled onto it, which would not have ended well,” he adds.
Best Friends Animal Society
Fishbein spotted the snake Moogan pointed out to him before anything serious happened. The volunteer had enough time to pull Moogan away from the rattlesnake. The pair reported the snake sighting to the sanctuary’s headquarters.
“Some staff are trained as snake handlers, and being a no-kill sanctuary, they captured and relocated the snake,” Fishbein explains.
Even after this amazing act of heroism, Moogan is still available for adoption. He has plenty of love and life to offer a pet parent.
“He’s friendly and curious. He still loves his toys. As an old man, he seems to really enjoy indoor climate control and his dog beds. I always announce when I’m entering his room so he’s not surprised. He’s very curious on his walks and sniffs around a lot. He doesn’t pull quite as much as he used to,” Fishbein says of how Moogan is today.
Best Friends Animal Society
The volunteer adds that whoever the lucky individual is that adopts Moogan will get the love of a “gentle and friendly.”
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“Moogan is pretty easygoing; I would just advise people to let him know verbally when you’re approaching so he is not surprised. There are some couples who regularly take him on sleepovers, and they love him dearly,” he says.
To learn more about Moogan, and submit an adoption application, visit his profile.
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