An animal lover says her 15-year-old dog was attacked by another dog as she walked her in a park in Gillingham.

Vicky Swift, 36, was walking her beloved collie, Muffin in Balmoral Gardens on Sunday when a Rhodesian ridgeback type dog attacked her pooch.

The dog - which was not on a lead - was so ferocious, Ms Swift says its owner had to kick it to stop it injuring Muffin seriously.

Ms Swift said the dog that attacked Muffin had her whole head in its mouth and would not let go.

The mother-of-two, of Duncan Road, Gillingham, has reported the matter to the police as she was also injured during the attack trying to protect her pet.

She suffered a bruise and scratch on her leg trying to get her beloved pooch away from the dog.

She said: “The owner, a man, had the Rhodesian ridgeback and I think what was a puppy too and he had to kick his dog off Muffin to get it to let go.

“Muffin’s not been the same since. She is 15, and was really yelping and her whole head was in the dog’s mouth.

”It could attack a child next time..." - Vicky Swift

“I was trying to pull her way and got injured the process.

The attack happened as she walked in the park at about 3pm and when she got home, she called the police.

She said: “The dog should have been on a lead if it is the type which attacks other dogs. It could attack a child next time.

“Muffin has suffered strokes in the past and I have to give her medication every day and she’s yelped every time I’ve opened her mouth to give it to her since the attack.

“She’s not been right since and her head is sore and she is out of sorts.”

“I’ve spoken to other dog owners in the area and I’ve been told the dog that attacked Muffin is thought to have attacked other dogs before.”

Ms Swift, who is a full time carer for her mum, also said she has been visited by a police officer who has told her he will check CCTV camera footage in the area in the hope the Rhodesian ridgeback’s owner can be traced.

She added: “He took a note that I’d been injured but said he can’t do a lot about dogs attacking other dogs, which I think is wrong.

“However he did say if the owner was traced he would get a warning about what happened.”

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