To: Heidi Alexander MP: Secretary of State for Transport
Ziggy’s Legacy 🐾 Make it law to stop and report a collision with a cat.
A driver hit our cat Ziggy and drove away. Under UK law, they were allowed to.
Current law requires drivers to stop and report collisions with dogs and farm animals, but not cats. We want the law changed so that if you hit a cat you must legally stop and report it to the nearest vets.
Current law requires drivers to stop and report collisions with dogs and farm animals, but not cats. We want the law changed so that if you hit a cat you must legally stop and report it to the nearest vets.
Why is this important?
Cats are beloved family pets, yet unlike dogs and farm animals, drivers are not legally required to stop or report it if they hit a cat. This leaves injured animals to suffer and families devastated.
Ziggy was our much-loved, sweet nature family cat. When we bought her home as a kitten, my 5 year old daughter fell in love and they have adored eachother since.
When she was knocked down, the driver didn’t stop 💔 In that awful moment, the only help I received came from the kindness of strangers - a neighbour who helped direct traffic and a veterinary nurse who happened to be passing by and gently helped move Ziggy to safety. Sadly she had passed, but I honestly don’t know what I would have done without them in that moment.
A cat hit by a car doesn’t always die instantly. They can be injured, frightened, and crawl away to suffer alone. If a driver stops, that animal has a chance. If they don’t, that chance is gone.
Since sharing Ziggy’s story, there has been an overwhelming outpouring of support and so many others have shared their own heartbreaking experiences of cats hit by cars where drivers didn’t stop. It has made one thing heartbreakingly clear: this is not rare, and it must change.
A government response to a previous petition on 8th December 2025 stated "The Government has no current plans to mandate that motorists report a collision involving a cat, or to grant Police powers to prosecute motorists who fail to report a collision involving a cat."
Common decency clearly isn’t enough. The law must change!
We are calling on the UK Government to reconsider their decision and update road traffic legislation so drivers are legally required to stop and report it if they hit a cat, bringing cats in line with dogs and farm animals 🐈
This change would:
- Reduce unnecessary animal suffering
- Give injured cats a chance to receive help
- Spare families the trauma of not knowing what happened
Ziggy's death was a tragedy and we are all heartbroken. However, she will not have died in vain if we can help change the law in her memory. Please sign and share widely 🙏🐾💕
Written by Cllr Laura Edie,
Green Party member for Newtown,
Dartford
Ziggy was our much-loved, sweet nature family cat. When we bought her home as a kitten, my 5 year old daughter fell in love and they have adored eachother since.
When she was knocked down, the driver didn’t stop 💔 In that awful moment, the only help I received came from the kindness of strangers - a neighbour who helped direct traffic and a veterinary nurse who happened to be passing by and gently helped move Ziggy to safety. Sadly she had passed, but I honestly don’t know what I would have done without them in that moment.
A cat hit by a car doesn’t always die instantly. They can be injured, frightened, and crawl away to suffer alone. If a driver stops, that animal has a chance. If they don’t, that chance is gone.
Since sharing Ziggy’s story, there has been an overwhelming outpouring of support and so many others have shared their own heartbreaking experiences of cats hit by cars where drivers didn’t stop. It has made one thing heartbreakingly clear: this is not rare, and it must change.
A government response to a previous petition on 8th December 2025 stated "The Government has no current plans to mandate that motorists report a collision involving a cat, or to grant Police powers to prosecute motorists who fail to report a collision involving a cat."
Common decency clearly isn’t enough. The law must change!
We are calling on the UK Government to reconsider their decision and update road traffic legislation so drivers are legally required to stop and report it if they hit a cat, bringing cats in line with dogs and farm animals 🐈
This change would:
- Reduce unnecessary animal suffering
- Give injured cats a chance to receive help
- Spare families the trauma of not knowing what happened
Ziggy's death was a tragedy and we are all heartbroken. However, she will not have died in vain if we can help change the law in her memory. Please sign and share widely 🙏🐾💕
Written by Cllr Laura Edie,
Green Party member for Newtown,
Dartford
