Nearly ran over a cat, what to do if I'd hit it?
Discussion
Driving back home earlier, doing a dizzying 57mph on a NSL road. Driving past a layby with two parked cars in and a cat runs out from between the two, I'm in a queue of traffic with a few vans going the other way so I just maintain my speed and course, the cat doubles back and I'm not sure if I hit it or not, but it didn't look hurt as it ran away.
This got me thinking, what if I had indeed ran over Mr Tiddles? I noticed a collar on it so it obviously wasn't feral - if I'd have emptied it's head into the road, are there any ramifications? Obviously I'd do the ethical thing and double back to see if it had any contact details on it, and let the owners know that their pet had had a nasty accident. I don't really want to think about going round to some devastated 11 year old girl's house to give back her cat with half it's head scattered across the A47.
So my question is, what are the legal and/or ethical responsibilities of a driver having hit a pet cat (or any other pet, I suppose)? If I drive onto someone's driveway and run over their pet I appreciate I'd be in a world of bother, but what happens on the public highway? Do the police get involved? Can the driver retain anonymity by indeed involving the police or RSPCA?
TIA.
This got me thinking, what if I had indeed ran over Mr Tiddles? I noticed a collar on it so it obviously wasn't feral - if I'd have emptied it's head into the road, are there any ramifications? Obviously I'd do the ethical thing and double back to see if it had any contact details on it, and let the owners know that their pet had had a nasty accident. I don't really want to think about going round to some devastated 11 year old girl's house to give back her cat with half it's head scattered across the A47.
So my question is, what are the legal and/or ethical responsibilities of a driver having hit a pet cat (or any other pet, I suppose)? If I drive onto someone's driveway and run over their pet I appreciate I'd be in a world of bother, but what happens on the public highway? Do the police get involved? Can the driver retain anonymity by indeed involving the police or RSPCA?
TIA.
dirkgently said:
valiant said:
I can't answer the legal side but if you ran over the wife's moggy you would have to change your name, sell your house and leave the country.
She WILL hunt you down and kill you!!
That`s because people who like cats all seem to be psychotic nutters.She WILL hunt you down and kill you!!
I'm actually allergic to cats (something in the fur makes my eyes swell up). Wouldn't stop me from doing the right thing though.
Although I am curious as to whether I could just call the RSPCA, say I killed a cat, please can you do what you need to do and inform the owners etc. I'd have thought that was the best scenario all-round, car driver doesn't lose face by becoming a maniac driver that must have been speeding and ended up killing a living creature (let's ban cars from the roads) etc etc, RSPCA do what they need to do and act as a layer of anonymity, owner of the cat gets the news and presumably any support the RSPCA can offer, everybody's a winner. Except for the cat. It's very dead.
Although I am curious as to whether I could just call the RSPCA, say I killed a cat, please can you do what you need to do and inform the owners etc. I'd have thought that was the best scenario all-round, car driver doesn't lose face by becoming a maniac driver that must have been speeding and ended up killing a living creature (let's ban cars from the roads) etc etc, RSPCA do what they need to do and act as a layer of anonymity, owner of the cat gets the news and presumably any support the RSPCA can offer, everybody's a winner. Except for the cat. It's very dead.
RSPCA would be as likely to do you for some type of cruelty offence as help sort the cat and tell the owner.
Killed one some years back when it ran out. The owner wanted to know why I hadn't swerved but could get the idea that the available options were a deep ditch or kids con bikes coming the other way.
Killed one some years back when it ran out. The owner wanted to know why I hadn't swerved but could get the idea that the available options were a deep ditch or kids con bikes coming the other way.
Legally - I think you do not need to do anything.
Morally - You seek out the owner, and apologise, or whatever. Them knowing that it is now an excat, is better than looking for it coming home for yonks.
Years ago, I had the misfortune to run over a feralish cat that was doing the rounds in the village. I could not find the owner to advise that I had disposed of its body in a nearby skip...
In the pub, a few days later, talking to a pal, apparently some dirty b
d had dumped a dead cat in his skip - He was doing up his kitchen...
(I did own up)
I am a cat owner (aye right!) and lover.
Morally - You seek out the owner, and apologise, or whatever. Them knowing that it is now an excat, is better than looking for it coming home for yonks.
Years ago, I had the misfortune to run over a feralish cat that was doing the rounds in the village. I could not find the owner to advise that I had disposed of its body in a nearby skip...
In the pub, a few days later, talking to a pal, apparently some dirty b
d had dumped a dead cat in his skip - He was doing up his kitchen...(I did own up)
I am a cat owner (aye right!) and lover.
as others have said, don't think there is any legal duty.
Many years ago was very grateful to a neighbour (a few doors down) who I didn't really know that well, other than nodding 'hello' who had spotted what he thought was our cat had been run over at the end of the road - end being a couple of hundred yards away in a built up area. I hadn't realised he wandered so far. It was him, quite smashed up but still alive, we had to take to take him to the vet to help him away. But so so grateful that at least we knew and could reduce his suffering.
In terms of identifying - I've never put a collar on any of our cats, so tricky to see something obvious. But many (we do) micro chip their cats. Any vet/RSPCA can check it. A friend was very grateful for that when one of hers was hit by a car a distance from her house and was able to be tracked, treated and returned.
I would hope the least someone would do is RSPCA/vet to check if it's chipped so at least the owner knows what has happened.
Many years ago was very grateful to a neighbour (a few doors down) who I didn't really know that well, other than nodding 'hello' who had spotted what he thought was our cat had been run over at the end of the road - end being a couple of hundred yards away in a built up area. I hadn't realised he wandered so far. It was him, quite smashed up but still alive, we had to take to take him to the vet to help him away. But so so grateful that at least we knew and could reduce his suffering.
In terms of identifying - I've never put a collar on any of our cats, so tricky to see something obvious. But many (we do) micro chip their cats. Any vet/RSPCA can check it. A friend was very grateful for that when one of hers was hit by a car a distance from her house and was able to be tracked, treated and returned.
I would hope the least someone would do is RSPCA/vet to check if it's chipped so at least the owner knows what has happened.
leigh1050 said:
If it's clear you should stop, reverse up and make sure you got the horrible fker.
I don't like cats
With that sort off piss poor attitude towards someones animal/pet you might want to hope you don`t find yourself laying in the road when some other obviously obnoxious selfish prick comes along then.ker.I don't like cats
shoehorn said:
leigh1050 said:
If it's clear you should stop, reverse up and make sure you got the horrible fker.
I don't like cats
With that sort off piss poor attitude towards someones animal/pet you might want to hope you don`t find yourself laying in the road when some other obviously obnoxious selfish prick comes along then.ker.I don't like cats
t everywhere no I have respect for people who own dogs.Legally you don't have to do anything cats aren't protected like dogs under the legal system but morally you should atleast move it of the road if its dead or get it to a vet asap.
Im a cat owner its one of the downsides of owning a cat for the risk of it being run over or never coming back but keeping a cat locked up in doors when they are semi wild animals is not fair on them. They are totally different to dogs, dogs needs an owner to live, a cat just uses one to make its life easier.
If one day my cat didn't come home for the night which he is always back for then I normally worry normally to be woken by him sleeping on me. If for any longer time then either hes trapped somewhere in the area has happened before normally locked in my garage but if he never came back and was never found then I have to accept that.
It always amazes me how the arguments change. Scenario 1 - next door's moggie digs up flower bed to do it's poos as owner can't be bothered to do the right thing and provide Tiddles with what Tiddles wants most- a litter tray. Garden owner has no recourse as cat is looked on as a wild animal ,where it's up to gardener to keep it out. I've had this problem and as I don't relish the thought of gardening to end up with a handful of buried cat poo, I don't wish to hurt a cat ,so I resort to water deterrent. I've also got the problem ,locally of cat owners leaving a small window open so Tiddles can come & go . Problem is that I've seen cats try to enter my windows.
Scenario 2 is as per topic. Cats are considered wild animals and allowed to run wild. I've had one feral female cat owner screaming at me because my dog took umbrage at having her unspeyed cat pee in my garden and chased it out( Female cat pees, next step is every Tom and his mates cover it up and it stinks. As this is a car forum, let me recount the story of one aged lady (Cav 2.0GLi).I parked her up,as her days of being on the road were over, looking for a decent burial. I opted for a couple of lads looking for a candidate for banger racing. When they hooked it up after a few days in garden ,all we could smell was TOM cat). Cat tried to stop and spit, but decided it had better get out with skin on body.
IMHO, cat owners are lazy pet owners. I own a rescue dog, suspected of being a puppy farm puppy profit machine.First step was to have her puppy factory removed and have her chiped. I exercise her regularly, worm her every three months and she has her inoculations yearly. I clean up after her outside, not because the law says I have to, but as a civic duty.
Back on topic- hit a cat, and it's dead - call the council -their refuse department will remove any dead cat .If the owner has shown enough concern to chip said moggie, then council will advise owner of death.
Scenario 2 is as per topic. Cats are considered wild animals and allowed to run wild. I've had one feral female cat owner screaming at me because my dog took umbrage at having her unspeyed cat pee in my garden and chased it out( Female cat pees, next step is every Tom and his mates cover it up and it stinks. As this is a car forum, let me recount the story of one aged lady (Cav 2.0GLi).I parked her up,as her days of being on the road were over, looking for a decent burial. I opted for a couple of lads looking for a candidate for banger racing. When they hooked it up after a few days in garden ,all we could smell was TOM cat). Cat tried to stop and spit, but decided it had better get out with skin on body.
IMHO, cat owners are lazy pet owners. I own a rescue dog, suspected of being a puppy farm puppy profit machine.First step was to have her puppy factory removed and have her chiped. I exercise her regularly, worm her every three months and she has her inoculations yearly. I clean up after her outside, not because the law says I have to, but as a civic duty.
Back on topic- hit a cat, and it's dead - call the council -their refuse department will remove any dead cat .If the owner has shown enough concern to chip said moggie, then council will advise owner of death.
. I had no way of taking evasive action other than braking, and could do nothing but wait for the *thunk*.I'm relieved at the responses in this topic. I thought I was treading on landmines saying I didn't want to confront a cat owner telling them their pet had ran into my car, any chance of buying me a new bumper as it hit me etc. I really don't want to have to identify myself to someone who lets their cats run wild in fear of getting my pride and joy vandalised - yes, sure, I might have squashed their pride and joy, but it's rare that my car or my house decides to run around the A-roads and crash into whatever's travelling down that road.
Above all I just hope I never hit anything in my car, apart from an apex
Above all I just hope I never hit anything in my car, apart from an apex
dirkgently said:
valiant said:
I can't answer the legal side but if you ran over the wife's moggy you would have to change your name, sell your house and leave the country.
She WILL hunt you down and kill you!!
That`s because people who like cats all seem to be psychotic nutters.She WILL hunt you down and kill you!!
CMYKguru said:
dirkgently said:
valiant said:
I can't answer the legal side but if you ran over the wife's moggy you would have to change your name, sell your house and leave the country.
She WILL hunt you down and kill you!!
That`s because people who like cats all seem to be psychotic nutters.She WILL hunt you down and kill you!!
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