Jermaine Pennant says German Shepherd mauled him in north London; required more than 50 stitches

Former Premier League footballer Jermaine Pennant was mauled by a German Shepherd in north London last week while walking his two dogs and later said he needed hospital treatment. He described the incident on Instagram and gave further details to The Sun.

The 43-year-old is a former Liverpool and Stoke City winger. He made 341 professional appearances. He works as a pundit for Talksport.

Pennant said the attacking dog latched onto his leg and refused to let go as he tried to protect his own dog, King. King then intervened to help fight off the attacking dog.

Pennant told The Sun he required more than 50 stitches to his right leg after sustaining four bite wounds and receiving hospital treatment. He added that King was unhurt, but did not give details about the German Shepherd. He said he declined to report the attack to police.

"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," said Pennant. "But the minute he did he fought the dog off and saved what could've been a horrendous situation for me."

"King was unhurt with a little nip on his leg, but had blood covered all over him which wasn't mine. At this point I forgot the agony I was in, and my heart sank, but it wasn't King's," Pennant added in the post. A picture uploaded to Instagram shows Pennant with a bandage on his leg alongside King on a sofa.

"My hero still protecting me and trying to look after me. King you're a legend, love you, man's best friend. Thanks Mimmi Montgomery for taking care of us both," Pennant wrote on Instagram, thanking his partner Mimmi Montgomery for looking after them.

He made 231 Premier League appearances. He had a 19-year career before retiring in 2018.