UK drivers could be issued fines for running over cats

DRIVERS may soon be issued "large fines" for not stopping their cars when they hit pet cats if proposals from campaigners are successful.

The new rule would see it become a legal requirement for drivers to report when they have hit a cat with penalties applying for those who don’t. Authorities could then be made to scan the cat to determine where it lives to give families an opportunity to say goodbye to their pet.

Last year, Jordan Coombe received over 47,000 signatures on his Change.org poll calling for drivers to be legally obliged to report hitting a cat.

He said the rules surrounding The Road Traffic Act 1988 should be updated to include more animals including cats.

Under current laws, drivers are only required to report the death of certain animals such as horses, cattle, donkeys, mules, sheep and pigs.

However, dogs are also included under the list which makes a case for other household pets to also be featured