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“Dancing With the Stars” season 32 alum Lele Pons had an unexpected outcome while on a walk with her dog.
In May 2024, the Venezuelan-born social media star revealed that she was bitten by a pit bull while trying to save her dog, Toby, from getting attacked.
Pons, who was eliminated from DWTS last fall in week 7, revealed the details of the scary incident and even shared photos of her gruesome hand injury.
Here’s what you need to know:
Lele Pons’ Mom Instinct Kicked In as She Protected Her Dog
GettyLele Pons March 21, 2024 in Hollywood, Florida. (Photo by Mireya Acierto/Getty Images)
Pons, 27, opened up about her accident during an appearance on Ankur Jain’s “Rent Free” game, as seen in a video posted by Extra. In the clip, Jain kicked things off by noting that Pons had “quite the 24 hours.”
“Really bad,” she replied as a camera panned to her bandaged right hand.
The Bilt CEO also acknowledged that Pons’ appearance on his game show was “quite the commitment” considering what she had been through the day prior.
“I got attacked by a pitbull,” Pons revealed. “Well, I didn’t, my dog was about to get attacked by a pitbull. It came running to my dog. It grabbed my dog. The minute it grabbed it, I opened the mouth [and] put my hand in.”
“It’s so strong,” she said of the pitbull. “The dog was going to my dog and I’m a mom! I’m a mom!”
A photo of Pons’ hand gruesome injury was shown onscreen. There was a bloody bitemark across the top of her hand. Pons said she would get stitches after she was done on “Rent Free.” “I’m going to get stitches, for sure,” she said.
It was just a few hours after the attack that Pons flew from her home in Miami to New York to appear on the game show.
Pons is no stranger to scary accidents. In 2020, she posted a TikTok video of her twerking to the Jose De Las Heras and Ghetto Flow song “Culo.” But as she danced around, she tripped and fell backward into a glass door that smashed all over her.
Lele Pons Said Her Dog is the Best Thing She Ever Purchased
Pons first introduced fans to her new puppy in 2019. She shared a video of the tiny brown poodle as she asked fans to help name him. Over the years, fans have seen plenty of Toby on Pons’ social media. In Feb 2024, she posted a TikTok as she celebrated his fifth birthday with a paw-themed party complete with dog treats for any canine guest and pup-corn and other munchies for humans. There was a platterful of doggie-decorated cupcakes, too.
According to Billboard, Toby also had a very special role in Pons’ March 2023 wedding to rapper Guaynaa. The dog served as the couple’s ring bearer during the ceremony. Toby was in good company, as the star-studded bridal party included Paris Hilton, Anitta, and several other pop stars.
Pons is very connected to her dog, hence that protective mama bear instinct. In a 20 questions segment with Behind the Brands, Pons was asked to name her “spirit animal” and she chose her beloved pooch. “I think I’m gonna go with Toby my dog. He’s exactly like me,” the DWTS alum said.
Pons also gushed about her pup during an appearance on the “Riser Diaries” podcast. While talking money with host Matt James, she held up Toby and said, “The money that I spent, this is the best thing I’ve ever spent on. This is my best purchase.”
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