The woman in her 60s was dragged about 15 metres along the road after she was attacked by the 50kg three-year-old bull Arab cross in Bulleen about 5.15pm on Sunday.
The dog escaped through an open gate as its owner was putting out hard rubbish and attacked the woman from behind.
“I just heard a shriek and I realised it was him and I was maybe 20 metres away and I just ran and tried to get him off her,” the owner told 9News.
The dog’s owner spoke on the condition of anonymity to express her remorse at the situation.
“I’m just so sorry, like, for the lady. There’s nothing that I can say that is going to make it better for her,” she said.
The victim suffered serious injuries and was treated by paramedics at the scene before being taken to hospital.
“(The dog) had blood all over its mouth, and I heard this lady going ‘help me, help me, help me, please help me,” neighbour Nick Carter said.
The owner said: “There was cars driving past and I was screaming for people to stop and stop. And it felt like forever but eventually quite a few people did stop.”
The dog was contained in a yard while police waited for council to arrive.
It was last night locked in a pound and faces being put down.
“I understand what his fate will be. For safety, for anybody, for everybody, but that’s what’s going to happen,” the owner said.
Police said they were investigating if there was any criminality.
