Asked by: Claire Hazelgrove (Labour - Filton and Bradley Stoke)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to introduce legislative proposals to make it mandatory for drivers to report collisions with cats.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
There are no plans to amend section 170 of the Road Traffic Act to make it mandatory for drivers to report road collisions involving cats.
Although there is no obligation to report all animal deaths on roads, drivers should, if possible, make enquiries to ascertain the owner of domestic animals, such as cats, and advise them of the situation.
Since June 2024, all cats in England over 20 weeks of age must be microchipped and registered on a compliant database, unless exempt or free-living. This will make it easier for National Highways and local authorities to reunite cats and dogs with their keeper.