PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
Cats in road traffic accidents (15 May 2022)

That this House is proud to state that the UK is a nation of cat lovers with approximately 12.2 million cats in UK households; notes that this makes cats the second most popular pet in the UK, second only to dogs, with 27 per cent of households owning at least one cat; sympathises with the pain that is felt by pet owners when their pet is struck by a vehicle and fatally wounded; notes with sadness that, according to data from PetPlan, approximately 230,000 cats are hit by cars every year in the UK, averaging 630 every day; is alarmed that under section 170 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, a driver is required to stop and report an accident involving horses, cattle ass, mules, sheep, pigs, goats or dogs, but not cats; is aware that this distinction was made to protect working animals; argues that this distinction is no longer required in the modern-day where domestic animals are mainly kept as pets; cites a 2018 study by Carbuyer which found almost 60 per cent of those surveyed agreed the law should be changed to include cats as well; and calls on this Government to introduce a change in the law that would require drivers to report a traffic collision involving a cat.

Sponsored by:
Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour)