Skip advert
Advertisement

Call for cats to get same road rights as dogs

Carbuyer survey found most drivers favour making it a legal requirement to report accidents involving cats to the police

Cat

The Chinese Year of the Dog may have just started, but drivers in the UK are calling for equal rights for cats on the road, according to a new survey.

Motorists who run over a feline should have to report the incident to the police, as they currently have to do when striking a dog, a survey by our sister publication Carbuyer found.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Current rules require drivers to report it when they hit a number of animals, including horses, cattle, sheep and dogs, but cats aren’t on the list.

Best cars for luggage space and pets

The Carbuyer study found 59 per cent of drivers are in favour of a law requiring motorists to report cat incidents on the road. The Labour Party recently announced its Animal Welfare Plan. In it, the party calls for a reform in domestic pet laws such as mandatory microchipping for cats and a new ruling that would require “motorists to report accidents where an animal has been injured”.

Animal rights campaigner Mandy Lowe told Carbuyer: “If a driver doesn’t make attempts to locate the owner, or take the cat to a vet to be scanned for a microchip, the body will be left for the local council’s waste disposal teams to collect.”

She said this meant owners would “never get the closure they deserve” if their pet was hit by a vehicle.

Figures from Highways England, which manages England’s motorways and major A-roads, show that 320 dead cats were found on its network over a two-year period.

Do you agree? Should cats have the same rights as dogs? Let us know your thoughts below...

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Carbon fibre could be banned as EU classifies it as a hazardous substance
Czinger teases 21C's carbon fibre bodywork

Carbon fibre could be banned as EU classifies it as a hazardous substance

Particulates emitted by the disposal of carbon fibre can be harmful to both machinery and human health
News
14 Apr 2025
New Citroen Holidays 2025 review: a cheaper and cheerful VW California campervan rival
Citroen Holidays - front

New Citroen Holidays 2025 review: a cheaper and cheerful VW California campervan rival

The new Citroen Holidays is the perfect option for those that want to camp on a budget
Road tests
15 Apr 2025
How green are electric cars? The truth about EV environmental impact and carbon footprints
Polestar 3 - front full width

How green are electric cars? The truth about EV environmental impact and carbon footprints

New figures from Polestar cast light on the big questions around EV sustainability and environmental impact compared to petrol cars
News
15 Apr 2025