Exclusive: Viral postal worker who rescued dog from venomous snake reunited with pup and homeowner

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Updated  September 27, 2023 11:57pm EDT
FOX 5 Atlanta
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Mail carrier reunited with dog bitten by venomous snake

A Haralson County mail carrier's quick thinking saved the life of a dog who was bitten by a venomous snake.

BUCHANAN, Ga. - Most people only look to their local mail carrier to deliver their packages on time, but one postal worker in Haralson County went well beyond that expectation when she saw a homeowner’s dog in distress and took her to the vet.

For Holle Prigmore, the highlights of her days delivering mail for the US Postal Service are the dogs she encounters along her route.

"I have a motto that not every dog likes me right now, but when I’m finished with them, they will…unless you have customers who happen to be home during the day, that’s really your interaction… ‘Hey bud, how ya doin’? Have a treat!’" she said.

One interaction took a scary turn last Friday when she saw Ginger, a black beagle mix, limping on the side of the road.

"As I saw her, I went ahead and grabbed a treat…I realized something was moving, it snapped at her…(and) sure enough, it was a snake," Prigmore recalled. 

The USPS employee said a Facebook page she follows helped her identify the snake as a copperhead. From there, she knew exactly what to do next.

"You should take the collar off because there could be swelling, and I just knew she might be fine, but she’s a small dog and I couldn’t stand the idea of her just suffering throughout the day if there was no one home," Prigmore stated.

U.S. Postal Service worker Holle Prigmore got her first chance to reunite with Ginger, a black beagle mix, who was bit by a venomous snake.
U.S. Postal Service worker Holle Prigmore got her first chance to reunite with Ginger, a black beagle mix, who was bit by a venomous snake.
U.S. Postal Service worker Holle Prigmore got her first chance to reunite with Ginger, a black beagle mix, who was bit by a venomous snake.
U.S. Postal Service worker Holle Prigmore got her first chance to reunite with Ginger, a black beagle mix, who was bit by a venomous snake.
U.S. Postal Service worker Holle Prigmore got her first chance to reunite with Ginger, a black beagle mix, who was bit by a venomous snake.
U.S. Postal Service worker Holle Prigmore got her first chance to reunite with Ginger, a black beagle mix, who was bit by a venomous snake.
U.S. Postal Service worker Holle Prigmore got her first chance to reunite with Ginger, a black beagle mix, who was bit by a venomous snake.
U.S. Postal Service worker Holle Prigmore got her first chance to reunite with Ginger, a black beagle mix, who was bit by a venomous snake.
U.S. Postal Service worker Holle Prigmore got her first chance to reunite with Ginger, a black beagle mix, who was bit by a venomous snake.
U.S. Postal Service worker Holle Prigmore got her first chance to reunite with Ginger, a black beagle mix, who was bit by a venomous snake.

Using the homeowner’s doorbell camera, she typed a message on her phone to let them know what happened, made some calls, and rushed Ginger to the vet.

Homeowner Kelsey Proctor expressed gratitude for Prigmore’s quick action in a post on social media trying to get in touch with her.

"I just think that speaks a lot about her and her character that she was so willing to jump in and help out when she didn’t know anything about us," Proctor told FOX 5.

She got to meet and thank Prigmore in person for the first time on Wednesday.

"Before I even got to say anything to her, Ginger immediately jumped up on her and jumped in her car and was letting Holle love all over her," she recalled. 

Proctor said Ginger is doing well. She’s still a little sore from the bite but hasn’t had any major issues since she received treatment.

The story has since gone viral—capturing the hearts of thousands of people online. Both Prigmore and Proctor said they were glad to see it had such a heartwarming effect on so many people.