Do I have to stop if I hit a dog?

Yes. Under section 170 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, a driver involved in an accident that injures a dog must stop. If you don't give your details to someone with reasonable grounds to ask for them at the scene, you must report it to the police as soon as reasonably practicable and in any case within 24 hours.

Which animals are covered by the law?

Section 170 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 covers horses, cattle, asses, mules, sheep, pigs, goats and dogs. Highway Code rule 286 sets out what drivers must do after a collision involving one of these animals.

Who should I call after hitting an animal?

If there is a risk to people, call 999. For a dog you have hit where you could not give your details at the scene, report it to the police, for example on 101, within 24 hours. A local vet can scan an injured cat or dog for a microchip to help find the owner.

How do I find the owner of a pet that has been hit?

Look for a collar and tag. Dogs in public must wear the owner's name and address. A vet can scan for a microchip, as all dogs in the UK and all cats in England must be chipped. If the pet wears an AYA PetBand, you can scan the QR code with your phone and contact the owner straight away without seeing their number.

Hit a cat or dog with your car? What to do as a driver, and as an owner

Q: Do I have to report hitting a cat?

Not by law. Cats are not on the list of animals in section 170 of the Road Traffic Act. The government has said it has no plans to make reporting a collision with a cat mandatory, but that drivers should, if possible, make enquiries to find the owner.

It happens in a moment: a cat leaps out of a hedge, or a dog runs out between two parked cars. It's a shocking experience for everyone, both for the person behind the wheel and for the family waiting for their pet to come home. Here's what to do if it happens.

If you have hit a cat or dog

1. Stop safely

If you hit a dog, you must stop. Section 170 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 applies when an accident injures an animal, and defines an animal as a horse, cattle, ass, mule, sheep, pig, goat or dog. Highway Code rule 286 sets out the same duty for drivers. If you don't give your details at the scene to someone with reasonable grounds to ask for them, you must report the collision to the police as soon as reasonably practicable and in any case within 24 hours.

Cats are not on that list, so there's no legal duty to stop or report. But stopping, if it's safe, is the decent thing to do. Put your hazard lights on and make sure you and other road users are safe before you go to the animal.

2. Call for help if needed

If there's a risk to people, call 999. To report a collision with a dog to the police when you couldn't give your details at the scene, you can call 101.

3. Help the animal, but look after yourself

Note the exact spot, so you and others can find it again if the animal runs off.
Don't chase the animal if it flees. A frightened, injured animal will hide and may bite or scratch.
Handle it carefully. Lay a blanket or coat over an injured animal if you need to move it off the road, and take it to a local vet if you can.

4. Find the owner

A pet has a family, and the owner will want to know what has happened, even if it's the worst. For cats, the government has said it has no plans to make reporting a collision mandatory, but that drivers should, if possible, make enquiries to find the owner (UK Parliament petition response).

Look for a collar and tag. A dog on a road or in a public place must wear a collar with the owner's name and address on it or on a tag (Control of Dogs Order 1992).
Get the animal scanned for a microchip at a vet. All dogs in the UK must be microchipped (GOV.UK), and since 10 June 2024 so must cats in England (GOV.UK).
Ask nearby households. A cat hit in a residential street very often lives close by.
If the pet wears an AYA PetBand, scan the QR code with your phone. You can call or message the owner straight away, without either of you seeing the other's number.

If your own pet has been hit

It's one of the hardest messages to receive. Here's what you can do:

Get to a vet as quickly as possible if your pet is alive. Injuries after a collision can be internal and not visible straight away.
Contact your pet insurer, if your pet is insured.
If you don't know where your pet is, contact local vets and rescue centres, and report your pet missing to its microchip database.
Keep your microchip details up to date, so a vet who scans your pet can reach you.

Make it easy for others to reach you

For many owners, the worst part is not knowing what happened. A driver who wants to do the right thing can't read a microchip at the roadside. A visible tag can be read by anyone.

AYA PetBand is a round metal tag with your pet's name on the front and a QR code on the back. Whoever finds your pet scans the code with their phone, without an app, and can call, video call or message you straight away. Your number is never shown. You can show supplementary information such as the microchip number and special needs. The tag has no GPS and no battery, and a location is only shared if the finder chooses to share it.

For dogs, a PetBand does not replace the collar tag with the owner's name and address required by the Control of Dogs Order 1992, so use it alongside that tag.

See AYA PetBand → · Found a cat or dog? → · Lost cat? →

Drive carefully after dark

Many cats and dogs cross the road at dusk. Slow down in residential areas and on country lanes, especially in the evening, and watch out for eyes reflecting in your headlights.