Dog pulls shark off owner's ankle

BODEGA BAY, Calif. — A man’s dog pulled a shark off his leg after the shark bit the man while he was fishing.

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James White was fishing July 21 off Bodega Bay when he hooked a 6-foot, sevengill shark, KNTV reported.

White’s pitbull Darby was watching from his car close by as he fought to reel in the catch. When White went to remove the hook, the shark wrapped its jaws around his ankle. White struggled but could not free himself from the shark’s grip.

Hearing White’s calls for help, Darby managed to open the car door, ran down a hill then launched himself into the shark, which made the shark bite down harder.

White told Darby, “no, back off.” So, the 100-pound pup repositioned himself and grabbed the shark by the tail.

"He literally ran up the hill with it and pulled it off my leg," White told KNTV.

White threw the shark back into the water and it swam off.

White is recovering from his wounds.

He had no idea Darby was capable of such heroics.

"The first time I told somebody this, they were like, 'You're out of your mind, there's no way that happened'," White told KNTV. "Then I showed him the pictures and I'm like, 'No it absolutely happened.'"

Cox Media Group