A loyal dog dragged a shark off its owner after the predator bit the man's ankle.
The pitbull valiantly defended James White after he was attacked by a 6ft shark while fishing in Bodega Bay, Sonoma County, California, US.
Mr White accidentally caught the animal while fishing, with the predator sinking its teeth into his ankle, puncturing an artery, after he removed the hook from its mouth.
As he struggled to get the shark off him, his loyal dog Darby leapt out of the car and pounced on his attacker.
Mr White told NBC : "The first time I told somebody this, they were like, ‘You’re out of your mind, there's no way that happened’.
“Then I showed him the pictures and I’m like, ‘No it absolutely happened’.
“He (Darby) has been a part of the family from day one. Just now a little more. If it wasn’t for him I would have been a lot worse.”
Mr White spent around 10 minutes reeling in the shark.
Darby somehow managed to open one of the car's doors and sprint down a hill to help its owner, after hearing his cries for help.
The dog bit one of the shark's gills, prompting the predator to sink its teeth even further into Mr White's flesh.
Darby, nicknamed House Hippo, then went for the animal's tail, dragging the shark off its owner and up the hill.
Mr White, who threw the shark back into the water after the ordeal, said his dog's actions prevented the shark from inflicting further damage to his leg and potentially severing an artery.
