Puppy found dead after being hit by car escaping illegal fireworks in Phillip Island

A puppy was found dead on the side of a Phillip Island road after her owner said she fled illegal fireworks on New Year’s Eve.

Lola was found dead on New Year’s Eve with her owners blaming illegal fireworks let off nearby.

A family has been left heartbroken after their dog was found in “pieces” on the side of a Phillip Island road after fleeing their property because of illegal fireworks let off nearby.

Phillip Island’s Beck Farmer said she was left “traumatised” after she returned home to find her dog missing on New Year’s Eve.

Ms Farmer later discovered her beloved dachshund on the side of the road.

“I’m traumatised, I’m blaming myself and I wish I could go back in time,” she said.

“When I got home and found Lola missing, I pleaded with the house that was letting off the fireworks to stop, but they kept letting them fly.”

Ms Farmer was looking after her daughter’s dachshund Lola on the night when neighbours let off fireworks at a family gathering two doors down on Vista Drive in Cape Woolamai.

The dog escaped by the time Ms Farmer had returned home.

She was later told the 7-month-old-puppy had been found dead.

“The vision I have in my mind is this little pup running, terrified for her life and then being hit by a car,” she said.

“I’ve got a broken heart my daughter is beside herself and now I’m angry,” Ms Farmer said.

It comes after the CFA attended a scrub fire about 12.10pm on the same in night Cape Patterson which police believe was caused by illegal fireworks.

Council-organised fireworks ran every year in Cowes until they were abandoned in 2020 due to Covid.

Senior sergeant Scott Morison said it’s a “problem” he would like to be able to address, but says it is difficult to police such a large area.

“Given the number that go off around midnight, they are difficult to keep up with,” he said.