Sussex charity Cats Protection supports calls for changes to hit and run laws

By Megan Baker
Published 23rd Feb 2023, 12:57 BST
Updated 23rd Feb 2023, 12:57 BST
Drivers could be fined £1,000 if they accidentally hit a cat and fail to inform the police, under a proposed new law.Drivers could be fined £1,000 if they accidentally hit a cat and fail to inform the police, under a proposed new law.
Drivers could be fined £1,000 if they accidentally hit a cat and fail to inform the police, under a proposed new law.
Many organisations, including Cats Protection, are supporting a campaign for the law to be changed to give cats the same rights as many other animals when it comes to road traffic accidents.

Currently, drivers must stop and inform police if they hit dogs, horses, cattle, pigs, goats and sheep – but not cats.

Due to this, owners are often left wondering what’s happened to their beloved cats after they have been killed, as it’s not a legal requirement for motorists to alert anyone of the incident.

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Recently, one pet owner who lost her cat to a hit-and-run incident reached 100,000 signatures on a petition to change the law, which was then debated in parliament.

A spokesperson said cats deserved the same protection in law as dogs and other pets and called on the Government to show compassion to their devoted owners.

However, the response from the Government was that it had ‘no plans to make it an offence to drive off after hitting a cat’.

Motoring experts LeaseCar.uk is now also calling for the Government to make the changes to the law, including a £1,000 fine for any drivers who don’t comply by leaving a cat on the roadside without reporting the incident.