FORMER LIVERPOOL STAR JERMAINE PENNANT GETS 50 STITCHES AFTER DOG ATTACK

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By: Fasasi Hammad

Former Premier League footballer Jermaine Pennant has disclosed that he received more than 50 stitches after being attacked by a German Shepherd in north London, with his own dog stepping in to help fend off the animal.

According to the BBC, the 43-year-old former Liverpool and Stoke City winger was walking his two dogs last week when the German Shepherd attacked him, biting his right leg and refusing to release its grip as he attempted to protect his dog, King.

Pennant said King eventually intervened and fought off the attacking dog, preventing what he described as a potentially horrific incident.

“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,” Pennant said.

Speaking to The Sun, the former footballer revealed that he sustained four bite wounds and required more than 50 stitches after receiving treatment at a hospital.

Although King suffered a minor bite, Pennant said his dog was otherwise unharmed. He recalled initially worrying about King after noticing blood covering the animal, only to discover that it was not his dog’s blood.

Pennant later shared a photograph on Instagram showing his injured leg wrapped in bandages, with King beside him on a sofa. He described the dog as his “hero” and thanked his partner, Mimmi Montgomery, for taking care of them both.

The former winger also disclosed that he had decided not to report the incident to the police. However, he did not provide further information about the German Shepherd or its owner.

Pennant made 231 Premier League appearances during his 19-year professional football career before retiring in 2018. He represented several clubs, including Liverpool and Stoke City, and later became a football pundit with TalkSPORT.

He joined Arsenal from Notts County in 1999 for £2.5 million at the age of 15, becoming the most expensive trainee in English football at the time.