LUCKY TO BE ALIVE: Mary Stokker was the victim of a vicious dog attack in Rubyvale.

LUCKY TO BE ALIVE: Mary Stokker was the victim of a vicious dog attack in Rubyvale. Kristen Booth

ONLY days after a life-threatening attack, Rubyvale's Mary Stokker is getting back to her normal routine.

The 77-year-old is lucky to be alive after being set upon by a number of large dogs "hell-bent on killing”.

"I'm still sore but I'm feeling okay,” she said.

"It's all right, I'll get over it. I'm still breathing and still walking.”

Ms Stokker was walking to the shops for milk last weekend when the dogs escaped their yard on Goanna Flats Rd.

"They were hell-bent on killing me,” Ms Stokker said.

"Once they got me dragged to the ground, that's when they just started chewing - they were biting and shaking.

"I could have died.

"It was fearful, to thepoint where I laid on the ground and one was trying to rip my stomach open and one was holding me by the head.”

Unable to fight off the dogs, she immediately pulled into the foetal position, covering her most vulnerable body parts.

"At least I was strong enough, I was able to keep my throat and stomach covered - just the soft spots (were bitten),” she said.

"But I tell ya, it gave a fair chewing to the rest of me.

"I was lucky that a friend of mine came along and started booting at them.”

Various reports have been given as to the number of dogs involved, ranging from two to 10.

"When the police came down, all one of them said to me was 'you've got guts',” Ms Stokker said.

"I said, 'I nearly didn't have any'.”

Mary Stokker was victim of a dog attack in Rubyvale. Kristen Booth

Officer in charge of Anakie Police Station Sergeant Paul Cognet said they received the call at 2.25pm on Saturday.

"Several bystanders, including tourists and local residents, came to the victim's aid, separating the dogs from the victim,” he said.

"The dogs then ran back into a nearby residence, where they were secured behind the fencing.”

Ms Stokker was transported to the Emerald Hospital with serious injuries.

"She suffered a variety of injuries associated with being bitten and pulled to the ground; primarily puncture wounds to her right arm and lower right leg,” Snr Sgt Cognet said.

Police ensured the dogs were secured away from the public and made inquiries with the owner while waiting for a ranger from Central Highlands Regional Council, who is in charge of the investigation.

Snr Sgt Cognet said police assisted council with their investigation, "which ultimately resulted in some dogs being humanely destroyed in the yard of the address and other dogs being taken from the house”.

A Central Highlands Regional Council spokesperson said it was reported the dogs in question escaped their Rubyvale property before attacking Ms Stokker.

"Five large cross-breed dogs were put down,” the spokesperson said.

Council officers are enforcing compliance under local animal management law in relation to two more dogs that weren't involved in the attack that were kept on the same property.

"The dogs were put down in agreement with the dog owner and further animals were seized from the property and remain in care of council for the foreseeable future as council continues to investigate the incident,” the spokesperson said.

A pack of large dogs pulled Mary Stokker to the ground and attacked. Kristen Booth