AN EVENING stroll with his puppy turned into a nightmare for Michael Ball and his pet dog when they were savaged by a dog running loose in a field.

The attack, near Mr Ball's home in Leysdown Road, Bay View, near Leysdown, left him needing treatment at a plastic surgery hospital and 18-month-old Ruby with devastating injuries.

His wife Valerie said: “It was an horrendous attack and people need to be aware there is a dangerous dog on the loose.

“My husband knows the dog was big, black and heavy-set, but because it was dark it is difficult to say if it was a pit bull or a Rottweiler, but it was much bigger than Ruby, who is a standard Boxer.

“The dog ran over with no collar or lead and then went for Ruby. She was lying on her back screaming with pain as it ripped into her and my husband had his hand torn as he tried to separate them.”

Two boys were nearby and Mrs Ball said one of them denied ownership, but yelled at the other one: 'Get your dog off’.

A shocked Mr Ball returned home, but his injuries were so severe an ambulance had to take him to Gillingham's Medway Maritime Hospital. Ruby was taken to Notcutts veterinary hospital in Maidstone.

Mrs Ball said: “Her treatment has already cost £800 and it was thought at first she might have suffered permanent nerve damage.

“Michael has to go to the hospital in East Grinstead for treatment. Some of his fingers were nearly torn off as he tried to get the dogs apart.”

The attack happened on February 4. They reported the incident to Swale police and a dog warden has been asked to investigate.