Drivers on Jersey face £10,000 fines if they run over a CAT and don’t stop

Drivers on Jersey face £10,000 fines if they run over a CAT and don’t stop: Island becomes first part of British Isles to force motorists to report accidents

  • Politicians in Jersey’s States Assembly voted to change the law on Tuesday
  • Now, drivers will be required to report running over a cat with their vehicle
  • They must to so to the cat’s owner, the JSPCA or the police or face the fine 


Drivers on Jersey face being fined thousands of pounds if they run over a cat and don’t stop after local politicians voted to change the law today.

In doing so, the island becomes the first part of the British Isles to force motorists to report accidents involving the animals.

The change to the Road Traffic Law mean drivers will be required to either inform the owner of the cat, the Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (JSPCA) or the police in the event that they hit a cat with their vehicle.

In failing to do so, the driver could be fined up to £10,000. 

Drivers on Jersey face being fined thousands of pounds if they run over a cat and don’t stop after local politicians voted to change the law. Pictured: A cat walks under a car (stock image)

The vote passed Jersey’s States Assembly on Tuesday, and was held following a debate that came in response to an online petition.

A proposition was brought forward by Deputy Jeremy Maçon on behalf of the Equal Rights for Cats Group in 2019. 

The group’s online petition gained over 5,000 signatures.

A proposition was brought forward by Deputy Jeremy Maçon (pictured) on behalf of the Equal Rights for Cats Group in 2019, leading to the vote being held on Tuesday

A proposition was brought forward by Deputy Jeremy Maçon (pictured) on behalf of the Equal Rights for Cats Group in 2019, leading to the vote being held on Tuesday

‘It was been a pleasure to work alongside the Equal Rights for Cats Group and Jersey has been ground breaking in adopting these changes to the law which we know other jurisdictions have been following,’ Maçon said following the vote.

‘The changes to the law are grounded in animal welfare and if cats can receive medical treatment in time we all agree that more lives will be saved.’

The petition said on its page: ‘Certain animals involved in RTAs [Road Traffic Accidents] require the driver to inform the police; this doesn’t include cats. 

‘Cats are free agents and are more likely to be victims to RTAs. We wish to see the law changed to reduce their suffering, by getting them to a vet quickly.’

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