Hit a dog or cat while driving? What to do (UK)

If you hit a dog with your car, you must stop. The same goes for horses, cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, donkeys and mules. If the owner is there, give them your name and address, the name and address of the car's owner if it isn't yours, and the car's registration number.

If you can't give your details to the owner at the scene, you must report the accident to the police as soon as you reasonably can, and within 24 hours at the latest. It's a criminal offence not to. The law says the report must be made at a police station or to a police officer, so call 101 to ask your local police how to do it.

Cats aren't covered by this law, so you don't have to report hitting a cat to the police. Cats Protection still asks drivers to stop if it's safe and make sure the owner can be found.

These rules come from the Road Traffic Act 1988 in England, Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland has its own law, which covers the same animals, dogs included.

1. Stop where it's safe, and watch out for traffic before you get out.
2. Approach slowly and calmly. An injured, frightened dog may bite, even if it's usually gentle.
3. If the owner is there, swap details. If not, look at the dog's collar: by law, its tag should show the owner's name and address.
4. If the dog is hurt, call the nearest vet and tell them you're on your way. A vet can treat the dog and scan its microchip to find the owner.
5. If you couldn't give your details to the owner, report the accident to the police as soon as you can, and within 24 hours at the latest, even if the dog has died.

1. Stop if it's safe to do so, and watch out for traffic.
2. Approach carefully. An injured cat may be scared and try to bite or scratch, so pick them up with a blanket or coat.
3. Whether the cat is hurt or has died, take them to the nearest vet if you can, in a carrier or a box lined with a blanket. Phone ahead so the vet can get ready.
4. The vet can scan the cat for a microchip and contact the owner. Cats Protection says you won't be asked to pay if the cat needs emergency treatment.
5. If you can't get to a vet, report it to the local council, or report an injured cat to the RSPCA in England and Wales or the Scottish SPCA in Scotland.

The same steps apply if you find a dog or cat that someone else has hit: make sure it's safe to stop, then get the animal to a vet or tell the council. You can report most dead animals to the local council, and GOV.UK can find yours from your postcode.

For an owner, not knowing what happened is one of the hardest parts. Cats Protection says a microchip means you can be contacted quickly if your cat is injured on the road and scanned, and makes it more likely you'll be told if your cat is killed.

• Keep your pet's microchip details up to date. Vets scan injured pets, and some councils scan animals they collect from the road.
• Put a tag on the collar that a driver can read at the roadside. For dogs, the law says it must show your name and address, and a QR tag lets whoever finds your pet call or message you straight away.
• Keep your dog on a short lead near roads, and make sure you're both seen on dark walks.