07/10/2024
World Animal Road Accident Awareness Day - because animals deserve a chance of survival and dignity in death. Today we're sharing what you can do if you hit or find domestic animal on the road - tomorrow we focus on wildlife.
The Road Traffic Act 1988 states that drivers must report hitting the following animals to the police; dogs, horses, cattle/cows, pigs, goats, sheep, donkeys and mules. Although there is currently no obligation to report all domestic animal incidents on roads, the police do advise that drivers should make enquiries to ascertain the owner of domestic animals, such as cats, to notify them of the situation. The most important thing is that the animal is given the very best chance of survival and we unashamedly urge people to concentrate on potentially saving lives regardless of what laws state. For example, a dog stands a much better chance of survival if seen by a vet over a police officer with no veterinary skills. Even if the dog flees the scene of a collision, the incident is a recordable offence, and must be reported to police on 101 in all instances.
If you hit or find a cat injured they will need to see a veterinarian straight away. Drivers will not incur costs for taking in any injured animal to a vets. Vets are only obliged to administer pain relief to relieve suffering, so owners should ensure pets are microchipped and details are up to date.
If an animal is deceased you can try knocking on doors in the immediate area. On average it will take someone knocking on 3 houses to either directly find an owner, or obtain knowledge of where it's believed the cat lives. Failing that you can take a deceased animal to the vets for microchip scanning and storage in cold facilities until the owner can be found. Dogs and cats now must be chipped by law. Drivers are not obligated financially for taking an injured or deceased animal to the vets. If out of hours, 24-hour vets operate UK wide. You can also get in touch with your local scanning angel who can help by offering a free roadside microchip scanning service if available in your area.
More info & links; www.catsmatter.org/single-post/world-animal-road-accident-awareness-day