So after almost 8 months behind the wheel of a 26 tonner, and driving it 5 out of 7 days a week, I had my first animal accident yesterday where, unfortunately, a family cat ran out onto the road about 2 metres in front of my lorry. It came from behind a tree right next to the road and obviously heard me coming so was trying to ‘get away’. I tried my best to avoid it at the last second but it wasn’t to be. I was shocked! There was no way I was going to leave it there for the neighbours to discover when they arose - it wasn’t pretty. So I stopped, went back and tried to look for a phone number on his collar, but he didn’t have one. So I rang a local 24 hour emergency vet and told them what happened and they told me to bring it in to check the microchip - Turns out it did have one and the owners were contacted later that morning.
I’m a big fan of animals but never thought I would have reacted in the way I did - shock, horror, I was upset for sure! Maybe I’m just a big baby.
What experiences do you guys have with this kind of thing? I’v never ran over any animal before, let alone a beloved pet.
I have a different outlook = cat = wild animal = oh dear and carry on
ROG:
I have a different outlook = cat = wild animal = oh dear and carry on
Legally I’m sure you are right ROG. As you are ROG and know more about this sort of stuff than anyone else on the planet.
But that animal could be injured and leaving it could prolong it’s suffering.
Now I’m not saying I’d drive over town to take dead a cat to a vet. But I’d get out and see what the score was. Unless it was dangerous for me to do so. I’d also wanna check the vehicle and clean it up before I got back to depot so I didn’t need to fill in any accident forms 
Think the only animals you have to legally report accidents with are mutts and swans!
Cats - I’d have checked how bad and if dead then move to side of road. If still alive and suffering then I’d prob do same as OP and try to get to nearest vet for humanely putting poor thing out of misery.
Callous or not I wouldn’t be losing sleep over the incident though and I have pets!
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dcgpx:
Think the only animals you have to legally report accidents with are mutts and swans!
Cats - I’d have checked how bad and if dead then move to side of road. If still alive and suffering then I’d prob do same as OP and try to get to nearest vet for humanely putting poor thing out of misery.
Callous or not I wouldn’t be losing sleep over the incident though and I have pets!
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Dogs, horses, cattle, pigs, goats, sheep, donkeys and mules are subject to the same legal requirement to stop/report if you kill or injure them. Anything else (including cats) is fair game under the Road Traffic Act.
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Roymondo:
Dogs, horses, cattle, pigs, goats, sheep, donkeys and mules are subject to the same legal requirement to stop/report if you kill or injure them. Anything else (including cats) is fair game under the Road Traffic Act.
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I prefer not to hit the bigger animals [emoji3] let alone report them
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My condolences to the pet relatives.
We had a deer collide with the side of a 7.5 on the M61 last year, made a right mess. It must have gone back from where it came, but I doubt it would have survived long.
If I ran anything over, I’d stop and see if it was dead - if it had a collar with a number, then I’d call the owners, if it was living I’d have to try and do something. However I’d have it down as just one of those things.
deer !!!grrrrr …the bain off my life out on the prairies. twilight and dawn its lethal in some spots(an animal hit doesn’t count against our insurance in MB) so don’t swerve take a piece of it so to speak. Had two hits in less than 3months years back first one went under and exploded brake pod snapped of ,fuel crossover pipe pulled out and parts round the prop between drives …next one boing boing thud head over heels into the darkness just left some fur and a scrape on the hood
but don’t try and get out and look for the animal like a friend did when he hit a big timber wolf, stopped and was getting to open the door when a voice from the bunk asked what the **** happened ,my mate explained what he hit …the voice from the bunk explained that wolves aren’t DOGS and they have an attitude at the best of times ,now you hit it and want to go wandering about in the dark looking for it!!. MY mate (wolfie 
) wont ever forget that night.
Dunno if I’d be called soft too, but I hate hitting any animals. Horrible feeling. Plus more selfishly even fairly small animals can do damage,especially with cars. A fox strike took the bottom radiator hose off my car once. Water light came on, I wasn’t far from home so could have been worse. Deer frighten me: hit one in a car, you’ll hit it’s legs and the body will glide effortlessly across the bonnet, through the windscreen and be stopped from ruining your upholstery by…you.
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The worse I have done is hit a pheasant with my crash helmet, spitting feathers, and hit a rabbit on a moped. Both died, I was going out the other day and saw something in the grass, I said nothing but about a mile later my missus said what was it? I thought it looked like an Alsatian. We turned round and she got out and pulled a dead badger out of the grass. It upset us both until we got to the pub
Few years ago bloke on our place ran a dog over…whilst it was still on its lead with its owner holding onto it,apparently ran into the road straight under the wheel 
Mid Wales, middle of the night clipped a fox, stopped and looked and the back end was obliterated but it was crying in pain so I reversed back over it to put it out if it’s misery then moved it to the side of the road.
It still makes me feel bad thinking about it now
This made me think of this: https://youtu.be/bKdIhJuRCoY
In all seriousness though you can’t help what a wild, or tame for that matter, animal is going to do! My mate did some truck driving out in America and also Australia, on his first trip out in Australia he flattened an Emu 
The reason you don’t have to report cats is because they do go off on their own its unfortunate but it happens.
I see all your points and good to see that some people agree with me in the feeling awful, even despite knowing that the accident wasn’t my fault.
Some interesting stories too which were a good read hehe 
toonsy:
Mid Wales, middle of the night clipped a fox, stopped and looked and the back end was obliterated but it was crying in pain so I reversed back over it to put it out if it’s misery then moved it to the side of the road.
It still makes me feel bad thinking about it now
This one got me. I don’t think I’d be able to do what you did - after seeing and hearing it in agonising pain and all. I hope, for the animals sake, that I would do the same thing
I almost ran a horse over when I first started driving.
Was doing about 40mph down some country lanes and he came out of this small road out of nowhere had to slam on the brakes. Turns out he bolted from his owner and owner was in pursuit in the end a few drivers managed to surround his so owner could take hold of him.
I think if I actually hit him I would never of heard the end of it…
I don’t think I have actually killed an animal while driving though other then the odd bird, so I’ve been quite lucky so far.
As for cats they are fair game and I have two cats of my own. Some cats are extremely intelligent. I often see cats patiently waiting by the road waiting for a gap in the traffic or even looking both ways before crossing. Other cats just run across the road in a blind panic hoping not to get hit.
adam277:
I almost ran a horse over when I first started driving.
Was doing about 40mph down some country lanes and he came out of this small road out of nowhere had to slam on the brakes. Turns out he bolted from his owner and owner was in pursuit in the end a few drivers managed to surround his so owner could take hold of him.
I think if I actually hit him I would never of heard the end of it…
I don’t think I have actually killed an animal while driving though other then the odd bird, so I’ve been quite lucky so far.
As for cats they are fair game and I have two cats of my own. Some cats are extremely intelligent. I often see cats patiently waiting by the road waiting for a gap in the traffic or even looking both ways before crossing. Other cats just run across the road in a blind panic hoping not to get hit.
dear god you wouldn’t like the prairies much then Adam…near everyweek something bangs,clatters and splats of my wheels,running country roads …gophers ,zero road sense…racoons,kin geese near lochs/slews even the odd porcupine (really sad about them) others critters are available and SKUNKS even when dead they explode just awful the skink gets on the tires/chasis bowke!!!..deer thank f 5yr since one ,now MOOSE they are widow makers even in trucks,saw a few on/in car windscreens and it is not good for all involved.
Have you noticed how some cats seem to understand traffic?
Pretty sure I saw a news article about a cat that uses a zebra crossing everyday and actually waits for cars to stop before crossing,
Very underrated animals.
Franglais:
Dunno if I’d be called soft too, but I hate hitting any animals. Horrible feeling. Plus more selfishly even fairly small animals can do damage,especially with cars. A fox strike took the bottom radiator hose off my car once. Water light came on, I wasn’t far from home so could have been worse. Deer frighten me: hit one in a car, you’ll hit it’s legs and the body will glide effortlessly across the bonnet, through the windscreen and be stopped from ruining your upholstery by…you.
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Deers scare me for that very reason. Currently on holiday and came round a blind bend and there was a deer in middle of the road. Lucky going slow as single track. All the girlfriend could do was complain didn’t get the camera out in time!
When the focus first came out a school mates dad had it as a company car (think that’s early/mid 90’s now) hit a rabbit. Through the front grill, radiator and air con radiator. Something like £2k of damage and £1k excess on insurance!