This is the terrifying moment a pit bull saved children by killing a cobra it found in a garden in India.

The children of domestic helpers were playing in the yard when the snake slithered toward them, prompting Jenny, the brave canine, to break free from her leash and attack the reptile in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, on September 23.

Footage shows the dog biting into the snake and rapidly shaking it. After five minutes, she managed to kill the animal, dropping its lifeless body on the ground.

Punjab Singh, the dog's owner, said: 'It is not her first time taking down a snake. She often encounters these animals, especially during the rainy season.'

No one was injured in the snake encounter.

A cobra's venom can kill 20 people or an elephant in a single bite. Its venom affects the respiratory centres in the brain, causing respiratory arrest and cardiac failure.