Fundraiser for Gosford couple after beloved family dog Stella injured in hit and run

A Central Coast couple are staring down thousands of dollars in vet bills after their beloved dog Stella was the victim of a hit and run.

Owner Rowan Newton and five year old Stella was the victim of a hit and run on March 22 in-front of their Gosford home. A Go Fund Me has been started to raise for expensive vet bills. Supplied

It has been a tough 12 months for this Central Coast couple as they have been blindsided by yet another emergency.

After Rowan and Kirra Newton spent almost three months in a Sydney hospital when their twin boys were born premature and now – their beloved family dog has been involved in a horrific hit and run outside of their Gosford home on Saturday.

Stella, a five-year-old French Mastiff x Dog De Bordeaux – also known as the Turner and Hooch dog – has been left temporarily paralysed after she was hit just before 8pm after a food courier left the front gate open.

The driver did not stop to check on the beloved pooch with bystanders rushing to the dog’s aid before Mr Newton arrived home after work to find his best mate lying on the roadside.

“Got home noticed the gate open and freaked out, saw two people on the side of road and saw her on ground,” Mr Newton said.

Stella and her human brother. Supplied

The five year old needs plenty of treatment as she recovers from a hit and run on March 22, 2025. Supplied

“She had no movement in her back legs and was dragging herself off the road.”

Mr Newton, a local tattoo and barber shop owner, put Stella straight in the back of his car and rushed her to the animal referral hospital at West Gosford.

“By that time she had gone into pretty severe shock so they tried to stabilise her, did a few x-rays, nothing conclusive,” he said.

“Next option was for CT and MRI scans to get a clearer picture of what injuries she had.”

Stella spent Saturday night and Sunday at the vet, costing the couple $6000, before they picked the dog up to send her to see a trauma radiologist for further scans and treatment.

Kirra and Stella. Supplied

“Waiting on a report, they’ve suggested we can’t see any major injuries, fracture in her vertebrae has caused damage, spinal cord severely bruised and there is not much response from her back legs,” Mr Newton said.

The horrific incident came after a tough last year when the couple had to spend a lot of their time in the hospital with their twin boys who were born at 28 weeks.

“Made a bit of a bounce back and now back with another emergency. It’s a testing time,” Mr Newton said.

“We’re lucky we have a network with shops and businesses and good clients, which is nice.”

Mr Newton’s sister started a Go Fund Me page to help out the couple who are facing further vet bills up to $10,000 to aid in Stella’s recovery.

“We’d be happy with a dollar, anything will help at this stage,” he said.

“I’ve had her since she was eight weeks old and tiny and she has moved everywhere, she’s been involved in every different shop and business I have had, it is quite traumatic.

“We’ve been overwhelmed by the love and support we’ve already received.

“Thank you to everyone who has reached out, it truly means so much to our family.”