The UK government confirms it has no plan to mandate reporting when drivers hit a cat, sparking debate on road safety laws and animal welfare protections.
A petition for the government "to make it law that if you hit a cat you must legally report it and take it to the nearest vets" was signed by nearly 11,000 people and sent to Parliament.
The Road Traffic Act of 1988, which mandates that drivers stop and report an accident involving specific animals like dogs, horses, cattle, mules, sheep, pigs, or goats, does not apply to cats or wild animals.
Cats' small stature and propensity to be "most active at dawn or dusk" make prosecutions challenging, according to a government statement.
The government acknowledges
"how upsetting it is when a much-loved pet is killed on our roads,"
the statement said, adding that the UK is "a compassionate country" and that drivers should still attempt to locate the owner of pets, including cats, despite the lack of a legal requirement to report animal deaths and injuries.
The statement added that dogs and other animals were considered "working animals" when the original rule was introduced, which is why cats were excluded.
In an effort to make it unlawful for drivers in the UK to flee the scene of an accident with a cat, the advocacy group Cats Matter has lobbied many governments.
The group was "very disappointed" with the government's response to the petition, according to co-founder Mandy Hobbis.
"We struggle to understand how we can call ourselves a compassionate country when our laws allow drivers to hit cats when driving and legally leave them on the road suffering.
Cats are much loved family members, just like dogs are, and they deserve the right to be helped if struck by a car, just like dogs are"
"This gives the cat their best chance of survival and means owners can be contacted and informed quickly,"
said Madison Rogers, the charity's associate director of advocacy, campaigns and external affairs.
She stated that the group had collaborated with the previous administration on a bill that made microchipping necessary in June 2024. She expressed gratitude for the advancements made thus far but asked ministers to take more action.
According to a 2021 Cats Protection survey, 4% of cats had injuries as a result of car accidents.
The charity advises drivers who hurt cats to take them to a veterinarian for immediate care.
She stated that she would advise drivers to get in touch with their council if they are engaged in a traffic accident that results in the death of a cat.
"We'd also encourage local councils to scan any cats they collect so their owners can be informed, as it's heartbreaking for owners to not know the fate of a lost or missing cat,"
she added.
The government responds to parliamentary e-petitions with 10,000 signatures. If they get 100,000 signatures, they are discussed in Parliament.
What penalties exist for abandoning injured animals on UK roads?
Motorists face penalties under the UK's Abandonment of creatures Act 1960 for leaving injured creatures on roads if it causes gratuitous suffering, treated as beast atrocity.
Persuasions carry up to 5 times imprisonment, unlimited forfeitures, or both, plus implicit disqualification from retaining creatures; fixed penalty notices up to£ 5,000 apply for lower weal breaches.
Road Traffic Act 1988 authorizes stopping and reporting collisions with certain animals ( e.g., nags, cattle), but pussycats tykes warrant this duty unless atrocity is proven; police appetite ethical reporting anyhow.