A dog-sitter who was caught on camera kicking a puppy says she "saw red" after claiming the animal bit her.

Jeanette Van Doorn was recorded attacking the Springador when returning her and another dog to a home in Challock on Thursday afternoon.

She says she has received threats since the footage was shared on social media. The dog-kicking incident has also been reported to the police and RSPCA.

The dogs had been staying at her day-care centre in Aldington.

Ms Van Doorn said: “I just lost it. I’d been through a lot personally and it was a very heavy day.

“It’s still not an excuse to hit a dog and I can’t deny what happened. After I dropped them off I thought ‘oh my God, what have I done’.

“I’ve got two dogs of my own and I’ve never ever hit one before. If somebody else was to do that to my dogs I would be furious.”

The pup, which is said to have had a “sore tummy”, was later taken to see a vet.

The footage has gone viral on Facebook.

In posts online, the dog’s owner, who asked to remain anonymous, says he fears “this was not an isolated incident”.

A spokesman for the police has confirmed it is aware of the allegations but says an investigation - if one is held - would probably be conducted by the RSPCA.

Ms Van Doorn says she has been told by the charity that it believes this was a “one-time thing”.

“We talked it over and they told me I’ve done this for a couple of years, all my reviews have been fantastic and that this seems like a one-time thing,” she said. “They told me to be careful and not to do anything like that again.”

A spokesman for the charity, when approached by KentOnline, said: “We understand how frustrating that is for animal lovers but releasing information could prejudice a future investigation or could lead to us being fined.

“We are so grateful to people who report suspected animal suffering to us and we would like to reassure people we will always look into and, if necessary, investigate any complaints made to us about animal welfare.”

Ms Van Doorn says she has received hate mail and threats of violence: “I’m expecting to be targeted. I’ve had messages saying things like ‘I’m going to hit you the way you hit the dog’. It’s not making me feel any better.”

Read more: All the latest news from Ashford.