The Authorities has refused to introduce new legal guidelines which might pressure drivers to report critical highway offences for the primary time on UK roads.
It follows a public petition which referred to as for drivers to be legally required to cease after hitting a cat and take injured animals to a vet.
The petition gathered nearly 11,000 signatures earlier than it closed earlier final week, prompting a response from the Division for Transport.
Nonetheless, in its official response this week, the division stated there aren’t any plans to vary the regulation. Ministers additionally confirmed they won’t give police new powers to prosecute drivers who fail to report such incidents.
The petition didn’t attain the 100,000 signatures wanted to be thought of for a full debate in Parliament. Regardless of this, the Authorities admitted many households are left heartbroken when their pets are killed on British roads.
At current, the regulation doesn’t pressure motorists to report crashes involving cats. Beneath the Street Visitors Act 1988, drivers should cease and report incidents involving animals akin to canine, horses, cattle, sheep and pigs. Cats usually are not included on this listing.
It is because, traditionally, these protected animals had been seen as “working animals” relatively than family pets.
The Authorities stated altering the regulation to incorporate cats would require new major laws, that means Parliament must cross a brand new regulation or considerably change the present one.
Labour has rejected the petition to introduce new security measures for cats hit by autos on UK roads
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Ministers additionally pointed to sensible issues with implementing any new rule. Cats are a lot smaller than animals at the moment coated by the regulation. Drivers, particularly these in lorries or bigger autos, might hit a cat with out even realising it.
That is made worse by the truth that cats are most energetic at daybreak and nightfall, when lighting and visibility are sometimes poor.
Due to this, the Authorities stated it might be extraordinarily troublesome to show a driver truly knew that they had hit a cat. With out that proof, prosecutions can be very onerous to convey.
Whereas rejecting adjustments to reporting legal guidelines, ministers did spotlight a number of steps already being taken to assist cat house owners.
The petition referred to as on the Authorities to introduce extra security measures for cats hit on the highway | GETTY
Since June 2024, it has been obligatory for pet cats in England to be microchipped by the point they’re 20 weeks previous, except they’re exempt or dwelling freely. The goal is to make it simpler to reunite misplaced or injured cats with their house owners.
The Division for Surroundings, Meals and Rural Affairs stated it is usually working with animal welfare teams to lift consciousness of the microchipping guidelines.
As well as, the Authorities has commissioned analysis to seek out out why some cats concerned in highway accidents usually are not returned to their house owners. The examine will have a look at issues confronted by native councils and vets, and the way the system could possibly be improved.
The petition was began by a cat proprietor whose personal pet was killed after being hit by a automobile. The tragedy drove their marketing campaign to vary the regulation.
Greater than 11,000 individuals have signed the petition calling for security measures for cats to be launched
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In its response, the Authorities stated it understands the emotional ache households really feel when pets are misplaced on this manner.
Ministers described the UK as “a compassionate country” and inspired drivers to behave responsibly.
Though there isn’t a authorized responsibility, the Authorities urged drivers to make affordable efforts to determine and call an proprietor in the event that they consider they’ve hit a home animal.
The Authorities thanked the petitioner for elevating the difficulty and stated it recognised the actual misery brought on by these incidents.
