On an autumn morning in Melbourne’s west Lynn and her daughter-in-law Tahlia were driving along a suburban street, when they witnessed something most people would find incomprehensible.
Two kittens being thrown out the window of a moving car.
“It was just horror, I couldn’t believe someone would do that to an innocent animal. It was just shocking,” Tahlia Kirkham said.
The pair immediately pulled over and started searching for the injured animals.
“[We] put on the brakes and stopped traffic on both sides,”
Lynn Dall’Acqua said.
Unfortunately one of the kittens couldn’t be found but the second, a Russian blue barely six weeks old, was discovered injured and hiding underneath a parked car.
Dorothy was seriously injured when found her on the side of St Albans Road in Melbourne’s west. (Supplied: Tahlia Kirkham)
The feline was in a bad way after suffering a fractured pelvis in the fall so the good Samaritans rushed the kitten to the local animal hospital for emergency surgery.
“I think we were all just so shocked that something like this could happen to an innocent animal like her,” said Dr Elsa Vartola, a veterinarian at Lort Smith Animal Hospital in North Melbourne.
“[We] really wanted to make sure she was okay and get to the bottom of what was going on with her.”
Dr Elsa Vartola has been caring for Dorothy since she arrived 10 weeks ago. (ABC News: Rudy De Santis)
The kitten has battled through several surgeries during her 70-day stay in hospital.
“She actually had her tail amputated, there was a bad injury to her tail from the fall from the car,” Dr Vartola said.
Tahlia and Lynn named the little kitten Dorothy and built a connection with her during the long recovery.
“Seeing how far she’s come since then it makes that first moment feel so much better,” Tahlia said.
Dorothy built a connect with her rescuers Tahlia and Lynn during her 10-week stay in hospital. (Supplied: Lort Smith Animal Hospital)
In between hospital stays Dorothy has been fostered by animal hospital staff where she continued to build strength and recover from what vets called a horrific start to her life.
But after 10 weeks in hospital, Dorothy has found her happy ending.
Dorothy the kitten is back in the arms of her rescuers. (Supplied: Lort Smith Animal Hopsital)
The now three-and-a-half month old kitten has been adopted by the same family who rescued her.
“From day one I wanted to take her home,” Lynn said.
“We’re all just so happy for her, so happy for her and her new family. They’re going to have a great future together,” Dr Vartola said.
Dorothy has been reunited with one of her rescuers, Tahlia. (Supplied: Lort Smith Animal Hospital)
‘No excuse for treating animals this way’
While vets say it is uncommon for pets to be deliberately injured, abandonment is something they’ve seen before.
Dr Varola said anyone who cannot continue to look after their pet should speak with their local animal shelter, council or vet.
“There’s really no excuse for treating animals this way. There are so many better options for unwanted pets,” she said.
“No animal should be treated the way she was treated.“
Dorothy is back in the arms of Lynn, who helped rescue her in March. (ABC News)
Veterinarians say putting unwanted pets up for adoption gives them a second chance at life and the opportunity for people like Tahlia and Lynn to welcome a new member to their family.
“We’re just going to sit on the couch and cuddle,” Lynn said.
After a tricky start to Dorothy’s life there’s no place like her new home.
