Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
KANAB — Dan Fishbein is the first to tell you he is not always paying attention when he goes for a walk.
It was a good thing, then, that Moogan, the old, nearly 100% blind pit bull mix who lives at the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, does pay attention, especially on a spring morning while out on a walk with Fishbein.
"I was just walking along — some people could say I can be a little flighty — when Moogan just started pulling me to a different side. He's not a puller, so I knew something was going on," Fishbein said. "Once we were a little bit away, I saw a rattlesnake, right where I was about to walk ... right where my foot would have gone. Well, I tell ya, I gave her a bunch of treats when I sat down."
With 3,000 acres of land, the sanctuary offers many walking and hiking paths for its four-legged guests and their two-legged walkers. Fishbein had been volunteering at Best Friends with his wife, Susan, ever since they moved to Utah in 2018, so he was accustomed to the trails. Originally from Chicago, he is not exactly knowledgeable on rattlesnakes, but after living in the Denver area and hiking in the Rockies, he figured out everything he needed to know.
That is, mainly, it is better to stay away from them. Period.
As such, because he was not exactly expecting to see a rattlesnake on his and Moogan's walk, he went about the time as he always did, just kind of looking and thinking about whatever. Good thing he opted four mornings a week to be with the dogs, especially Moogan. The 11-year-old, who is completely blind in one eye and assumed to be blind in the other, saved him from some pain.
"See, I like dogs. It's people ... the jury's still out on them," Fishbein said. "It works out because this old dog, he loves people. The jury is still out on other dogs for him. We get along, more than along. He's blind, so you have to let him know you're there, so I was amazed he figured out the rattlesnake was there.
"I was definitely startled when I saw it. Not to the point of trauma, but enough to think, 'Wow.'"
Because Moogan is a blind dog, his sense of smell and hearing are heightened. I'm not surprised he knew the rattlesnake was there.
–Deb Parker, Best Friends Animal Sanctuary
Deb Parker, the volunteer coordinator for DogsTown —where Moogan lives at Best Friends — was not surprised by much of this. There once was a volunteer bitten by a baby rattlesnake, but she had not heard of any of the 400 dogs at Best Friends getting bitten or getting their walker away from a rattlesnake while out on a walk. She did know, however, that if a dog was going to get Fishbein out of a rattlesnake's way, well, it made sense that it was Moogan.
"Moogan loves Dan. Dan loves Moogan. Moogan knows Dan," Parker said. "Because Moogan is a blind dog, his sense of smell and hearing are heightened. I'm not surprised he knew the rattlesnake was there. He loves people — I can't stress that enough — and he loves to be walked. He would know what is around."
The excitement about the rattlesnake is not over, so Fishbein spends his time away from the sanctuary talking about Moogan and the other dogs at Best Friends. He's not opposed to cats, per se, but likes dogs and wants them all to have a good home. He would love to take Moogan in, but, one, "I'm 70, so I'm old," and, two, he already has a dog — Mary Jane — that he and Susan foster.
Adopt a Senior Pet Month
November is Adopt a Senior Pet Month. As such, adopting a dog from Best Friends Animal Sanctuary that is at least 8 years old is free during the month.
If you are interested in learning more about Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, or if you are interested in Moogan, call 435-688-2327.
To say Fishbein and his wife love Mary Jane is an understatement. She's a beagle, and she is pretty close to having the run of the house. She has dog beds all over the place and, of course, a crate; and as a digger, she dug a hole in the backyard so large that Fishbein calls it her condo. They even leave the Hallmark Channel on for her when they leave the house.
No one believes that Moogan would put up with such a dog, so he stays at Best Friends and waits for his favorite walker to come on by. Maybe the attention will get Moogan and some other senior dogs adopted. Running into that rattlesnake would be all worth it if that were the case.
"With all this attention, I had visions of going to New York to get on 'The Today Show,'" Fishbein said. "But I'm happy for Moogan. He's available for adoption, too. See, almost everyone loves dogs. And dogs love everyone. Hopefully, he'll get a home soon."
