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A walk in the countryside ended in horror for a woman and her border collie when they were set upon by a pack of dogs.
Jane Martin, 46, and her pet Ben were attacked while walking on a public footpath next to orchards at Bridge.
They suffered serious bite wounds and needed medical treatment and antibiotics.
It has now emerged the three dogs – two greyhounds and a Staffordshire bull terrier cross – had attacked another local dog walker’s pet spaniel, which later died.
The dogs belong to Middle Pett Farm foreman David Stanbury, and were running loose in the orchard on both occasions.
Mrs Martin, a mother-of-two, of Union Road, Bridge, says the horrific attack has left her traumatised and in pain from her injuries.
But she and her husband David were astonished and disappointed when police officers told her no offence had been committed, and there was nothing they could do.
She said: “There are quite a few dog walkers in Bridge who use local public footpaths to walk in the countryside around here, and this was one I have used many times before.
“The farmer has recently put signs up on the footpath saying dogs must be kept on a lead, and I had Ben on his lead.
“I wish I hadn’t, because I think he might have been able to get away quicker.
“Mr Stanbury seems to exercise his dogs by letting them run loose behind his pick-up, and they were coming up the side of the orchard.
“They cut off the corner of the orchard and went straight for Ben. I was dragged around, and tried to lie on top of him to protect him like any dog owner would.
“The fight came off the footpath and spilled a few feet into the orchard.
“He [Mr Stanbury] drove up and jumped out of his pick-up and was trying to get his dogs off. I was on the floor and screaming, and that is when I got bitten.
“Mr Stanbury then drove off beeping his horn, which was obviously his way of distracting the dogs and getting them to follow him.
“It gave Ben, who had slipped his collar, the chance to escape and he ran home, but I was left there in a heap."
Mrs Martin added: “He then drove back past me and the dogs followed. He didn’t stop to see if I was OK, even though I was dripping with blood, and has made no attempt to contact us to say sorry.
“He was in a very bad way when my husband found him at the door, and he was obviously very worried about what had happened to me.”
Mrs Martin says her husband dialled 999 and was advised to take his wife to hospital.
Officers came round that evening after she had been to hospital for treatment.
She said: “Apparently, Mr Stanbury had already gone to the police to report that the incident had happened on private land.”
Mrs Martin said the police asked her which dog bit her and where exactly it happened, but she said it was difficult to be precise.
“It was ridiculous, and I was reduced to tears because I was still traumatised by it all.”
She said that she and Ben were on a public footpath when the incident started and that the police were aware another dog had died after being attacked, but said there was nothing they could do because it was a dog fight.
Mrs Martin added: “They said the dogs were not on a dangerous dogs list. It seemed like they just didn’t have the tools to take any action.
"But what would happen if a child was walking a dog up there? They could be killed. Would that still not be a crime?”
Mrs Martin is now warning other dog owners, and particularly children, to avoid the footpath.
When contacted, Mr Stanbury said he had reported the incident to the police but would not comment further.
Police spokesman Jon Green said: “Officers spoke to Mrs Martin, who confirmed the dogs did not directly attack her but she sustained injuries when she tried to get the other dogs off hers.
"What would happen if a child was walking a dog up there? They could be killed. Would that still not be a crime?” - Jane Martin
"This incident occurred on private land. It was primarily a dog-on-dog attack.
"The dogs in question were legally allowed to be untethered on their own land and when the Martins’ dog was attacked it was not on a lead and had moved on to the private land.
“There were no criminal offences regarding the attack on the Martins’ dog or the injuries to Mrs Martin. However, police have passed on the details to the RSPCA.
“If Mr and Mrs Martin are not happy with the way the officers spoke to them, Kent Police will investigate any complaint.”
He added that the farm foreman has made a formal complaint that he was bitten by Mrs Martin’s dog.
