Man Fights Shark to Rescue His Dog

Most people wouldn’t voluntarily mess with a shark. But when it’s about to devour your best friend, what else can you do?

By Kathryn Hawkins. Posted on October 01 2008

Most people wouldn’t voluntarily mess with a shark. But when it’s about to devour your best friend, what else can you do?

Greg LeNoir’s two-year-old rat terrier, Jake, loved to go swimming at the Worldwide Sportsman’s Bayside Marina pier in Islamorada, Florida. Every day, the dog would jump into the waves and frolic around while his owner watched from the beach. But last week, while Jake was playing in the water, LeNoir spotted a five-foot-long shark –and moments later, his beloved dog had disappeared into the shark’s jaws.

LeNoir sprung into action to save his dog. ‘‘I clenched my fists and dove straight in with all my strength, like a battering ram,’’ LeNoir told the Miami Herald. “I hit the back of the shark’s neck. It was like hitting concrete.”

Thankfully, LeNoir’s surprise attack did the trick and scared off the shark. The shark had bitten Jake’s belly, but “amazingly, he wasn’t critical,” said Suzanne Sigel, the vet who patched him up. “He’s one lucky dog.” His injuries will take some time to heal completely, but he’s expected to make a full recovery.

As for LeNoir’s heroic rescue, his wife, Tessalee, isn’t surprised in the slightest that her husband risked his life to save their precious dog. “People know him as Dr. Doolittle,’’ she said. “He’s the one who climbs up a tree to save a possum.”

Filed under: Animals and Pets, General Interest, Heroes, Weird,

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