A woman was kicked in the stomach as she clutched onto her dog during an attempted theft.
The victim was walking her dog at around 3:30pm on June 11 when she was approached by a man and a woman.
It is alleged the woman, who reportedly had a Liverpudlian accent and the man attempted to grab the dog but the victim held onto its harness.
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The incident, which saw the dog walker kicked to the ground, the blow hitting her in the stomach, happened in Blyth Road, Worksop.
The offenders, who are yet to be identified, managed to take her keys during the incident, reports Nottinghamshire Live
Chief Inspector Amy Styles-Jones, said: "It's absolutely heartbreaking for anyone to experience the theft of an animal and this victim acted incredibly bravely in order to try and keep her dog safe. We're grateful she wasn't seriously injured and that her pet was unharmed.
"In line with national guidance, we encourage pet owners to be vigilant when out walking their pets by always keeping them in sight and being wary of passersby acting suspiciously.
Both suspects are described as being in their 40s and of a medium build.
The woman was said to have bleach blonde hair and was wearing a peach-coloured t-shirt also also reportedly had a Liverpudlian accent.
The man was said to have a bald head with short hair around the sides. He was wearing a dark-coloured shirt and three-quarter length shorts.
Detective Constable Emma Dalton, who is investigating the case, added: "We're working hard to track down the offenders but are appealing for members of the public to get in touch.
"If you saw or heard anything in the area, no matter how insignificant it might seem - it might just be the piece of information we need to uncover who was behind this malicious attack."
People with information are asked to contact Nottinghamshire police quoting incident 520 of 11 June.
Alternatively, please call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
