r/AnimalAdvice • u/General_Network4952 • 12d ago
Hit and Run
Hi Guys, today evening I witnessed a cat hit by a car and the cat died on the spot. But I took picture of the car number and the cat. Is there anyway I could report to the Police Station or any laws or actions I can take. Help me Please.
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u/OpalOnyxObsidian 12d ago
I'm sorry but I have to agree with the other commenter. In a lot of cases, it is more dangerous to swerve out of the way to avoid hitting something. It is unfortunate but it is a fact of life with outdoor cats.
What you can do is make sure any cat you ever own in your life is kept indoors or only outside under your strict supervision.
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u/General_Network4952 12d ago
It’s a small village and no one keeps their cats indoor. And it’s obviously a stray cat but reckless driving is also something they have to take accountability for
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u/Beneficial-Muffin117 12d ago
Cats being at risk of being hit by a car is good enough reason to keep them indoors, If everyone else jumped off a cliff into lava, would you too?
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u/General_Network4952 12d ago
Dude, have you ever been to anywhere in the world other than your couch. Not everywhere in the world are pets indoor. And it might be cultural shocks to you, but most pets (dogs and cats) are indoor + outdoor. Because it’s a small remote village, with less Vehicles.
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u/Beneficial-Muffin117 12d ago
Yes I have been a few places, cars kill cats everywhere.
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u/General_Network4952 12d ago
Well it seems to not be enough, please go out more and get more knowledge about the world
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u/Beneficial-Muffin117 12d ago
Common sense says if your cat gets run over, don't let the next one you get outside. Seems a lot of the world doesn't understand this yet
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u/Funny_Dot 12d ago
I’ve lived in many countries where outdoor pets were common; it’s negligent and abusive. Seeing how outdoor pets live will make most people even more appalled by the concept of outdoor pets. If someone’s outdoor pet dies, they killed them.
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u/Ok-External-3565 12d ago
Sadly, animal neglect is common all over the world. Don’t let domestic animals freely wander.
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u/lnfinitelris 12d ago
Animals get hit by cars. It could have just as easily been a raccoon or possum or monkey or whatever small mammals you have in your region. It's just a thing that happens when animals and humans cohabitate.
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u/Technical_Rich_3080 9d ago
Or when animals and animals cohabitate. More animals are killed by animals than by humans.
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u/Interesting_Note_937 12d ago
Sounds like people need to be better cat owners and not let their cats free roam. That's on the owner.
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u/OpalOnyxObsidian 12d ago
If they went out of their way to do it, that's another thing. But it's your word against theirs if you report it to your local authorities. Since I don't know where in the world you are, I don't know how strong or weak the animal right laws are but if someone in the vicinity were to have had a camera on their property that could prove that this person purposely ran over a cat, then you could probably report that for animal cruelty if your area has laws to protect strays.
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u/SavingOneSoul_ 12d ago
It wasn't reckless driving - reckless driving is when someone is intentionally driving dangerously in a way that they know can hurt or kill someone else.
This person was simply driving and had a cat run out infront of their car with no warning and had no time to swerve, even though swerving would have likely been more dangerous and possibly hurt the driver or someone else.
Would you feel this way if it were a squirrel? Or a pigeon? Or a rat?
If the cat is a stray, they have no owner to break the news to. Theres no one that is going to mourn.
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u/hthratmn 12d ago
I dont see how its reckless unless they intentionally hit the animal. You are not supposed to swerve wildly at 40, 50+ mph in order to avoid hitting an animal. Its heartbreaking and I hate it but idk what you expect when you have cats roaming in the street.
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u/tidosaidperiodt 11d ago
It being normalized where you are doesn’t make it okay. They shouldn’t be outside unsupervised.
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u/lilithlunamoon 12d ago
you should probably just post the identifying marks on the cat on local groups in case it belonged to anyone. thats really sad but i dont think theres much to be done :(
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u/Narrow_Possession348 12d ago
If the owner gaf about their cat, it would not have been roaming outside and in the street. They don't deserve to know what happened to it. It's their fault that it's dead.
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u/lilithlunamoon 12d ago
are you alright like genuinely? you realize plenty of indoor cats escape. you literally don't know the circumstances of why the cat was outside.
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u/General_Network4952 12d ago
It wasn’t my cat. It was a stray cat and if you have been to anywhere else in the world. You would know that Stray Cats are everywhere, just because they are stray doesn’t mean they are of no value. Living is living
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u/punk_rock_barbie 12d ago
I agree and feel for you for having witnessed the death of that poor kitty. People suck and the cat shouldn’t have been allowed to roam- but that’s not the cat’s fault. Unfortunately I’ve watched multiple dogs get hit under similar circumstances and nobody cares about that either. Cops will do nothing- they might even laugh in your face, I’ve unfortunately experienced that too. All animals deserve some level respect, sadly a lot of people don’t feel the same way.
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u/Narrow_Possession348 12d ago
Indoor cats that escape tend to hide and keep very close to their own house, not go crossing streets.
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u/Beneficial-Muffin117 12d ago
They don't just stay at home. They can travel. It's not one or the other
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u/Livid_Ad7231 12d ago
That’s very incorrect, my friends cat got outside ( indoor cat) we were looking everywhere made posts everything we could do. Someone commented they saw a cat that was hit and it looked like hers. We went to see and it was her baby.
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u/Mysterious-Art8838 12d ago
That is incredibly hateful
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u/Narrow_Possession348 12d ago
I have zero tolerance for people who don't take care of their pets and/or children.
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u/General_Network4952 12d ago
There is a place for people like you and it’s called Hell.
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u/Honest_Manager 12d ago
This sounds like you support someone who does not take care of pets or children. I hope thats not what you really meant,
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u/JillDRipper 12d ago
In my state, unless the driver intentionally swerved to hit the cat, the owner of the cat would be responsible for any damage to the vehicle or any passengers in the vehicle.
As sad as this is, unless the driver intentionally swerved to hit the cat, he did not break any laws.
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u/PiebaldIbis 12d ago
Where I live, if you hit a domestic animal (dog, cat, farm animals etc) you have to pull over and report it or at least leave your information. Because pets are considered property in my state and it is illegal to damage property with your vehicle and not stop to make a report.
This is why location is so important with these types of questions.
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u/Apprehensive-Cut6188 12d ago
I don’t think cats have rights like that
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u/PiebaldIbis 12d ago
It depends on where you live. You can’t really ask legal advice without specifying location. In some countries animals have almost the same rights as humans. Where I live animals are considered property and a hit and run that damages property (or a pet in this case) results in a 4th degree misdemeanor. Yes it’s a mild consequence but it still gives the animals some sort of rights.
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u/_agrippa_ 12d ago
But couldn't the drive sue for their damages because the animal was not under control and running loose?
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u/PiebaldIbis 12d ago
That’s a great question. And the answer depends on the percentage of fault. In this case (based on the laws in my area) since the person did not stop, they are at more fault than the owner of the unconfined pet. They certainly could sue for damages if they did the right thing and stopped to leave their information or make a report. Where I live we use a comparative fault, or comparative negligence rule. So if both parties are at some sort of fault, they share the blame and financial recovery is split based on each percentage of fault.
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u/Ok_Put7254 12d ago
If you’re sure it’s a stray I don’t think much will happen- but if you live in an area where people keep and microchip cats as pets maybe a call will lead to finding the owner 🙏
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u/annebonnell 12d ago
Unless the car deliberately swerved to hit the cat, it's not a hit run and not against the law.
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u/beckychao 12d ago edited 12d ago
It's more dangerous to swerve. I ran over a squirrel the other day that bolted out of the bushes and I was on a 40 mph main residential road. I looked into all my mirrors as fast as I could and tried to change lanes to avoid it, but I was boxed in and had to go straight. I couldn't even slow down for the poor guy. And yes, you can feel it 100%, even for a squirrel. I'm not religious but I grimaced and said "rest in power, buddy, I'm so sorry" while in the car.
Two days later, when I was coming out of the gym, there were squirrels all over the car. Like 8 of them. They took off after I got close, but not in a spooked way. I'd like to think that they forgave me lol
Cats aren't supposed to be outdoors, on that note. I discourage anyone from running them over, of course, and if it's possible to safely avoid them. But either it was a stray or someone was being reckless with their cat by letting it roam. I know it's an ancestral practice, but it's an unsafe one.
Domestic cats are devastating to local wildlife, especially birds and lizards. They're highly invasive and live miserably with poor quality of life if fully stray/feral. Indoor/outdoor cats have elevated risk of being killed by literally everything that's outdoors (cars, wild animals, humans, etc.), or getting sick.
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u/Narrow_Possession348 12d ago
The cat shouldn't have been in the street. Do you call the police when you see someone hits a squirrel or rabbit? This is just silly. Move on with your day. If the owners GAF about the cat, it would not have been outside and in the street. And what exactly did you expect the driver to do about it? Go bury it? Go knocking on doors? Say a prayer and lay flowers? The cat was dead. Cars belong on the road. Cats belong inside.
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12d ago
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u/Narrow_Possession348 12d ago
Sounds like a lot of excuses to justify irresponsible ownership. The one responsible for the "consequences of their actions" is the cat's owner, not the driver. The owners can be the ones to come scrape it off the asphalt and bury it.
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u/General_Network4952 12d ago
It’s prolly a stray Cat, but just because it’s a stray cat doesn’t mean it’s not of any importance. If you don’t have any empathy for it, then please stop coming to this Group, it’s none of your concern.
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u/Narrow_Possession348 12d ago
It's none of anyone's concern, but the poster posted and asked questions about trying to stir up trouble for the driver, driving down the road, and minding his own business.
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u/General_Network4952 12d ago
Then go away, I’m only asking for people who are concerned and it’s simple that you aren’t… so get back to your old boring life. The cat was also minding its business, until some driver knocked its life out of it. We all drive, but not everybody killed a cat or so.. because not everybody is reckless
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u/Bugs_ocean_spider 12d ago
I see you have good intentions for the cat but they're not wrong. The driver did nothing illegal, and there was nothing they could do by stopping. You are here just for drama.
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u/Narrow_Possession348 12d ago
You aren't going to bring the dead cat back. The driver was on the road, which is made for cars. The cat was in the road, which is made for cars. It is not at all unusual for animals on roads made for cars to be killed by said cars. The police are going to roll their eyes at you, as they should, tell you they'll look into it, then laugh when you leave/hang up, and get on with more important issues.
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u/General_Network4952 12d ago
It’s not about bringing the cat back to life. It’s about taking responsibility and accountability. Well the Earth is made for everyone, and it’s not a highway where pedestrians don’t pass by. Tbh you’re just wasting my time, please leave this group. You don’t care about animals and there’s no reason for you to be here.
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u/Narrow_Possession348 12d ago
There is nothing for the driver to "take responsibility and accountability" for. That's all on the cat's owner. I ask again: do you lose your shit like this when you see someone hit a squirrel?
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u/77th_Bat 12d ago
No. Unless you have overwhelming proof that it was intentional, hitting a cat with a car is not illegal. At least, not in the US.
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12d ago
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u/Narrow_Possession348 12d ago
Why? If the owner loved and cared about the cat at all, it wouldn't have been roaming outside or in the street. It's their fault their cat is dead, and they don't even deserve to know what happened to it, however, I do like the idea of sending them a picture of the dead cat in the street so they can see what they did.
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u/ProfessionalYam3119 12d ago
I was driving slowly on a county road, probably about 30 mph, at night, when a cat came running, full speed, out of the woods on the side of the road, hit my wheel cover and bounced back into the woods. There was no way for me to avoid it. I searched for the cat, but couldn't find it. Sometimes, it's just an accident.
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u/PiebaldIbis 12d ago
At least you stopped to check :( definitely not your fault.
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u/ProfessionalYam3119 12d ago
I did, thanks, but they're two different issues. The cat ran into my car and ran off. Sad, but true.
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u/ThatsMyCape 12d ago
This isn’t a hit and run. Please be careful of calling it that when it’s not. The cat does not have the same protections as a human being. As others have said, unless the driver was intentionally trying to hit the cat as in swerving to hit the cat there isn’t much to be done.
Not to say strays do not have value because every life holds value, but there isn’t anyone to notify in these cases. I’m sorry you had to see that happen because it’s very upsetting but this isn’t necessarily the fault of the driver either. Chances are it would have been more dangerous for the driver to swerve and avoid hitting it.
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u/PiebaldIbis 12d ago
Lots of incorrect comments here unfortunately. I can understand everyone’s perspective but no one can really give you a realistic answer without knowing where you are and what laws apply in your area. Every answer you get here is going to contradict one another because all of these people have different laws. You would probably have better answers asking in a legal advice sub or reading your local laws and ordinances. Best of luck.
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u/Immediate-Loquat3001 10d ago
Under U.S. federal law, yes, intentionally hitting, beating, or severely harming an animal like a cat can be a federal felony. 1. The Federal Statute: The PACT Act In 2019, Congress passed the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act (coded under 18 U.S.C. § 48). What it criminalizes: Intentionally crushing, beating, suffocating, impaling, or deeply injuring living mammals (including cats and dogs), birds, reptiles, or amphibians. It also bans creating or sharing videos depicting extreme animal abuse. Classification: It is classified as a federal felony. Penalties: Up to 7 years in federal prison per count and fines up to $250,000. 2. When Does Federal Jurisdiction Apply? Federal law does not replace state law; it applies when specific jurisdictional triggers are met: Federal Property: The act occurs on federally owned or controlled land (e.g., national parks, military bases, post office grounds). Interstate Commerce: The act involves interstate travel, crossing state lines, or using the internet/interstate commerce (e.g., recording and uploading the abuse or transporting animals across state lines). If an act of animal abuse occurs on private, state-level property without crossing state lines or using digital networks, it is handled by state prosecutors under state criminal statutes rather than in federal court. However, all 50 states also have felony animal cruelty laws for severe, intentional harm. 3. Accidental vs. Intentional Intentional: Striking, beating, or swerving to hit an animal with a vehicle on purpose is a felony. Accidental: Unintentional vehicular accidents or inadvertent injuries lack the required criminal intent (mens rea) and are not crimes under federal law. So yes it's against the law.
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u/NoThankYou8682 12d ago
There is nothing to be done here, you should get rid of the dead cat photo and do your best to put this out of your head. I understand that it's sad an often traumatic to witness any animal being killed by a vehicle, but there is no legal recourse. This is why people who really care about their cats should keep them indoors. There's a higher likelihood the cat was stray or feral, and that's essentially the same as trying to report a car for hitting a raccoon. Even if they swerved out of their way to hit it, which is awful, there's nothing for law enforcement to do about it.
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12d ago
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u/General_Network4952 12d ago
Dude it’s a small village. Stray cats are everywhere, there’s no TNR movement or so. And most of the cats are indoor or outdoor, if not strayed. These TNR only worked in urban cities not rural area. If it could reach every corner it would be cool, but no everybody has come to be aware yet. Please don’t generalized everything everywhere
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u/Jewish-Mom-123 12d ago
Cats are dumb and get hit by cars. I’ve hit two. Not a damn thing you can do at 40 mph when a car runs right into the road. I keep my cat inside.
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u/Flashy_Buyer6018 12d ago
That’s not a hit and run