A dog owner is scared to take her hound out for a walk after he was brutally mauled.
Mr Rubert Bear the Shi Zhu was trotting along Ramsgate beach on September 9 when he was targeted by a fellow dog.
The poor pooch sustained such severe injuries he had to have an eye removed, Kent Live reported.
Owner Rebecca Chapman, 47, said she has been left anxious over the prospect of dog walks in the future, adding that she is now "so wary" of what could happen.
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"We had just got onto Ramsgate beach and had just gone down the steps," she said.
"I could see the other dog, Rupert was off his lead and as they got closer I reached down to pick my dog up.
"The owner of the other dog told me that his dog was fine and there was no need to pick Rupert up."
However, the other dog had "latched onto" Rupert's face, and Rebecca believes that the force of him pulling the harness is what led to Rupert's eye being "ripped out."
"I immediately wanted to know who the man was since he told me his dog was fine," she said.
"He walked off the beach and I was left standing there screaming.
"I just felt awful, I have never known anything like it and I was absolutely beside myself.
"I couldn't even breathe, I was in such a state."
The mum-of-five had been on the phone to the vets shortly after the incident which ensured they were prepared for Rupert's arrival.
His eye, however, could not be saved and has now been removed, which has had a big effect on him.
"He's a little bit snappy now which he wasn't before," Rebecca said.
"He is also conscious of everything and general noises are making him jump.
"His judgement is not quite right and when we go out at night he doesn't like it at all.
"It just makes me cry all the time looking at him now."
Rebecca said that her son saw the offending walking off its lead on Ramsgate beach the following morning.
Section 2 (1) of the Animals Act 1971 states that where damage is caused by an animal from a dangerous species, any person who is the keeper of the animal is liable for damage.
However, Rebecca believes that the dog was a cross-breed and is therefore perhaps not classed as a dangerous variety.
Rebecca is now pushing to have those laws changed.
"The owners need to take responsibility, they have to be accountable for their dogs," she added.
"How can they just walk away? If that was a child you wouldn't just be allowed to walk away!
"Insurance companies and vets charge an absolute fortune for your dog but are not held accountable for anything.
"My fight simply is that you just have to be accountable for your dog because this cannot happen - this is so wrong."
