Former Liverpool and Arsenal footballer Jermaine Pennant said he needed more than 50 stitches after a dog attack in a north London park, adding that his own dog — an American Akita named King — helped save him.
Here's what to know
In a social media account of the incident, the 43-year-old said he had been walking King off-leash when another dog attacked.
He wrote: "So I was attacked by a German shepherd. I tried to protect King, but the dog got my leg. I was on the floor with the dog still attached with no sign of letting go, until King intervened, as he didn't know what was going on."
In comments to The Sun, cited by ESPN, Pennant said the situation flared up after the other dog "had a go at King."
"The next thing I know, it was attacking me," he said.
Pennant later required treatment for four bite wounds to his right leg. Recalling the attack, he said: "I was on the floor, and it was on my leg for at least five seconds."
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"I felt this huge pressure," he said. "Imagine the force of a dog bite." King was unhurt, Pennant said, though the Akita suffered "a little nip on his leg."
Pennant added that the Akita ended up covered in blood during the struggle, creating a terrifying moment before he realized the blood was not King's.
More background
In the social media post, Pennant said King stepped in once he understood what was happening, writing that "he fought the dog off and saved what could've been an horrendous situation for me."
Speaking to The Sun, Pennant went even further, saying: "He saved my life. If King had been a smaller dog, there would have been no chance."
Describing what followed, Pennant said: "The two dogs were really going at it, and then King stood by my side until help arrived."
The former winger is best known for his Premier League spells with Arsenal and Liverpool. He also played for Leeds United, Birmingham City, Portsmouth, and Stoke while in England, as well as Real Zaragoza in Spain's LaLiga.
Following the attack, he said he went to the hospital by Uber, where his injuries required more than 50 stitches.
For people who use shared green spaces with pets, stories like this can also prompt conversations about park safety and responsible dog handling.
Pennant summed up King's role in a short tribute on social media: "My hero. Still protecting me and trying to look after me."
Where can I learn more?
Pennant and King's story is one of several involving animals stepping in during dangerous encounters.
• A dog found with a broken foot after an attack was transformed in just two weeks.
• In Canada, a rescue dog shielded her family from a black bear and earned Hall of Fame honors.
• Near San Diego, a man grabbed a rattlesnake bare-handed after it nearly struck his pit bull.
• In Australia, one dog survived two eastern brown snake bites after another snake appeared in the yard.
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