Running over cats

[Colin Brett]

A young lad who works with my wife killed a cat on the way into work this morning. He stopped to see if there was anything he could do and was accosted by the owner who has threatened to sue him [her son is a solicitor[aren't they always!]] She obviously contacted the police and he was visited during the day a statement was taken.

I was under the impresssion that incidents where were cats killed on the road were not reportable.

 

Anyone help please.

 

Colin.

By the way the young man in question is an Undertaker, so at least the cat can have a decent burial or cremation LOL

[Leon Roskilly]

That is what I thought.

 

I also thought that owners who let animals run free could be legally responsible for any accidents that they cause.

 

I also thought that the law treats cats as 'wild' animals, which is the reason you don't have to report killing them, or worry about them causing accidents when you let them out.

 

Or, so I thought.

 

Purposefully driving at them, or leaving them to suffer is a different matter.

 

Tight Lines - leon

[davidP]

I thought the same as yourself re: cats & dogs. If they want to sue then good luck as they obviously weren't keeping their cat under suitable control if they allowed it to wander into the road. He should counter sue for the distress it caused him.

[Richard Harvey]

What if that Cat had caused damage to your car or caused you to skid off a motorbike etc, would the same owner be so keen to offer you 'Damages'?

I believe that if a dog is off it's lead or on the loose and it causes an accident then the owner is liable for any damage .

I don't think you have to report hitting a Cat to the Police, oor would it be classed

as ' Kitten-Run ' ? !

[snotty]

No Richard I think you meant to say that a cat at loose on the road is 'fur-game'..sorry

 

The fact that he was visited by the boys in blue the very same day (!) shows the seriousness of his heinious crime in the eyes of the law.

Around here you are lucky if you get a visit at all for minor things like burglary, breaking and entering, breach of the peace...

If I were him I'd start saving for a lawyer for the house of lords appeal hearing.

[Leon Roskilly]

I was right (I thought I was)

 

Tight Lines - leon

 

 

From the Citizens Advice Bureau's website at:

 

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/your_w...ed_in_a_traffic

 

Animals

 

If an accident is caused by or to an animal, the following points should be considered:-

 

 

if the animal is a cat or poultry then it does not count in law as an accident. This means that the driver is not required to stop. The driver must stop if a horse, cattle, ass, mule, pig, sheep, goat or dog is injured

 

if it can be shown that the owner of an animal has been negligent in allowing the animal on the road, for example, failing to maintain a fence they are responsible for maintaining, then the owner will be liable. Owners are not responsible for the actions of their cats or poultry

 

if a driver is responsible for an injury to an animal, other than cats or poultry, then they may be sued for damages.

[hoppy]

Mmmmm....I think the law of not reporting the running over and killing a cat, was they didnt have to be registered/licenced to keep them, so they didnt "realy exist" whereas a dog had to be reported if it was accidentally killed, because of the records kept about it., BUT ...having said that, we no longer need a licence to keep a dog...SO...do we need to report a death of a dog, if we run it over???

[Colin Brett]

Thanks for the info guys.

 

I will pass it on.

 

Of course had he left the dead cat on the road, the road would have been safer at night with an extra pair of cats eyes!! Boom Boom!!

 

Colin

[Dan]

Colin Brett:

Thanks for the info guys.

 

I will pass it on.

 

Of course had he left the dead cat on the road, the road would have been safer at night with an extra pair of cats eyes!! Boom Boom!!

 

Colin

Only if they were in the middle!

 

Dan

[Cranfield]

Leon has covered the "legal" area nicely.

 

However, we don,t know what else might have happened.

The Police do move "in mysterious ways", but they ain,t all daft.

The "law" on running over cats, is well known, (even by the Police).

 

The driver was "accosted" by the owner.

Were threats made ?

Was there a scuffle ?

Was there any other damage ?