A Gravesend man’s usual walking route nearly ended in death after his dog was attacked by a Bullmastiff.

Tom Clubb, 55, had to continually kick the animal to try and release its jaws from his collie-cross Cassie’s neck in Chalk Road on September 29.

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Cassie's eye after the incident, posted by Tom Clubb's daughter Natalie on Facebook

Mr Clubb, of Lower Higham Road, said: “I was walking the route I’ve taken for the last ten years and as I was turning off the road, this Bullmastiff appeared and leapt on Cassie within milliseconds.

“With its aggression, it grabbed my dog by the head and slammed her to the floor.

“If it had been my wife or daughter walking her, Cassie would’ve died.

“I was told after that I should’ve done more by sticking my finger up its bum, but who thinks about that?”

The ten-year-old collie was rushed to the vets in Parrock Street, Gravesend, at 6.20pm and spent the night.

She was operated on by the family’s vet Nigel at 10.30am yesterday (September 30).

The canine has had stitches to her lower neck and head and had to have her eye completely reconstructed.

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Cassie post-surgery

The transport manager, added: “When the owner eventually came over, he seemed more concerned about his four bruised ribs than Cassie.

“He needs to control his dog because it just does what it wants all the time.

“My concern is that the dog has now tasted blood – it could kill a child.”

Mr Clubb dialled 999 immediately after the attack.

He said: “I called the police and they were useless – a young lad on the phone was just reading off of a ready-made manual.”

Although, a dog attacking another dog is not illegal, it is the owner’s legal responsibility to keep control of their pets if they are a danger to the public.

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A Kent Police spokeswoman said: “Officers are making enquiries following an incident in which a dog was reportedly injured by another dog.

“There were no injuries reported to the owner of the injured dog or anyone else.

“The incident was reported to police at around 6.20pm on Tuesday September 29.”

Do you have any infomation about the Bullmastiff? Email jake.bacon@london.newsquest.co.uk