'Every animal deserves the same' - what you said about a law change calling to protect cats injured on the road

Pet owners have been sharing their heartbreaking stories of losing a cat after it has been ran over.
You have been sharing your views on our social media pages.You have been sharing your views on our social media pages.
You have been sharing your views on our social media pages.

The comments come after a campaign, led by Cats Matter, aimed at changing the Road Traffic Act (1988).

It hopes to make it a legal requirement for motorists involved in an accident resulting in injury or death to a cat to stop and give information, or report the incident to the police.

Some have shared heartbreaking stories of what happened to their own cats.Some have shared heartbreaking stories of what happened to their own cats.
Some have shared heartbreaking stories of what happened to their own cats.
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Cats, badges and foxes are not currently covered by the Act, though dogs, horses, cattle and other animals are.

You have been sharing your views on our social media pages, with some sharing upsetting stories of how their own families have been affected by such an incident not being reported.

Many readers said it's "about time" to make the change, and that all animals should be considered equal.

Others questioned how the police would find time to process such incidents in a time of cuts, and how being involved would impact drivers.

Here is what you had to say on our social media pages:

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Sally Finnigan: "My heart goes out to everyone who has lost a beloved cat in this way myself included."

Margaret Crosby: "Amazing the number of morons dismissing the pain and anguish of people who lose a beloved pet, because it would put them to a few moments' inconvenience."

Lisa Unsworth: "My beautiful two-year-old cat was knocked over outside my house and left dead in the road for kids to find her. "

Jacqueline Hodgson: "It's heartbreaking for pet owners when they don't even get closure. We chip them, we love them, we care for them and we cry when they get out and go missing. Even if the news is bad we would rather know."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Pauline Leslie: "About time. At least responsible owners whose cats are chipped will learn the fate of their animals, heartbreaking as it is, it’s better than living in hope."

Naomi Alexandra Austin: "They’re part of our family, dog, cat, budgie, hamster, no matter how small or big."

Read More
Read more:Drivers who hit cats will have to report it to police under new law

Richard Purdom: "Horrible as it is for owners, if cats are running wild there is always a risk of this happening."

Clayton Bruce: "That's fair enough but do you honestly think the drivers who do hit the cats are going to report it them self?"

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Sarah Jane O'Neill: "It's good manners, I would hate to think I'd hit an animal and its wandering about hurt."

Paula Russell-Morris: "About time, all life is precious and deserves respect in death, only the other day a seagull was hit killed out right and cars just proceeded to go over it. So so wrong. Glad the changes are happening."

Leigh Marie: "About time too but every animal deserves the same don't they?"

Leila Majewska: "Brilliant. Perhaps they will drive more carefully."

Dawn Clegg: "It's about time, we have lost two beautiful boys who were both hit by cars and just left on the road to die. It is absolutely heartbreaking."