As the Isle of Man flexed its democratic muscles this week, and a new set of MHKs has been duly elected, it was interesting to see in the run up to polling day how few prospective candidates discussed animal welfare issues in their respective manifestos.

This raises the question: how much can we rely on political intent and legislation to ensure people behave responsibly around animals, particularly when macro-economic and cost of living issues prevail.

The answer has to be that we shouldn’t become so cynical that we stop trying to make sure that animals are ‘given a voice’ and ensuring that their welfare is paramount.

It is in this spirit, and in the hope of change, that on October 26 the English parliament will be debating the law relating to cats that are involved in road traffic accidents.

The upcoming debate is a result of 190,000 people signing a parliamentary petition proposing that drivers should be required by law to report collisions with cats, as is the current requirement (both in the UK and the Isle of Man) with dogs.

In the debate the government will be required to set out its position (although it currently has no plans to amend legislation) in response to campaigners stating that they ‘… want the government to legislate to require drivers to stop, check and report any road collisions with cats if they are injured on the road, and hold drivers accountable if they fail to stop and … left a cat to unnecessarily suffer’.

The campaigners add that they do not want drivers to face criminal records or be responsible for vets’ fees – drivers simply need to stop and ensure an injured cat receives care.

It is thought that approximately 230,000 cats are hit by cars every year in the UK, with 35% of drivers admitting to having struck a cat.

Under current legislation, drivers are required to stop and report collisions involving horses, cattle, asses, mules, sheep, pigs, goats or dogs – but not cats or wild animals.

This is, apparently, an historic reference to horses etc having the status of ‘working animals’ rather than domestic pets.

The English government’s department for transport has issued a statement, in anticipation of the upcoming parliamentary debate, stating that ‘because cats are much smaller than other specified animals, and often most active at dawn or dusk, in many cases drivers may not be aware that they have hit them – particularly with larger vehicles. Because of that, it would be difficult to prosecute drivers if the law was changed’.

That’s a pretty lame excuse for inaction – most drivers know when they have run over or hit an object in the road, and some cats are bigger than some dogs.

Cats such as Lucca who is a larger-than-life character physically (and definitely out-sizes your average chihuahua or pug), but who has a reticent and shy personality.

He’s only four-years-old and has spent his short life playing second fiddle to other pets in the home, and so he needs a new environment where he can feel secure and develop confidence.

Lucca is very affectionate with people he knows, and we think he’d be happiest in a quiet new home without young children or other pets.

He’s used to being able to go outside, and enjoys exploring, but let’s hope he has enough road sense to avoid being run over.

Whilst we shouldn’t need laws to make us compassionate and kind towards animals, current animal welfare legislation (in particular, here in the island, the Animal Welfare Act 2023) provides a framework and set of standards for what good care looks like, and the sanctions that can be imposed when an individual fails to provide satisfactory care.

It is very doubtful that cats being run over will be on the minds of our MHKs over the next few years, but we can live in hope that some additional welfare legislation is passed as secondary legislation (ie much easier to put in place) under the Animal Welfare Act, and never stop campaigning for what we believe in.