It’s a tragic fact: millions of animals–including many beloved pets–are killed every year in road accidents. World Animal Road Accident Awareness Day shines a spotlight on the dangers of road accidents involving animals and honors the memory of the many animals–including beloved pets-killed every year. Let’s look at how you can keep your cat safe–and what to do if you ever find yourself in this unfortunate situation.
When is World Animal Road Accident Awareness Day?
World Animal Road Accident Awareness Day is held every year on October 10.
How to Keep Your Cat Safe
Keeping your cat safe from road accidents is paramount for any responsible pet owner. Here are several measures you can adopt to ensure your feline friend’s safety:
- Keep Your Cat Indoors: The simplest way to prevent road accidents is to have an indoor-only cat. Indoor cats are also safe from other hazards like predators, diseases, and conflicts with other animals.
- Secure Outdoor Areas: If you want your cat to have outdoor access, consider building a “catio” or cat enclosure that allows them to experience the outdoors without the associated risks. Also, ensure fences and gates are cat-proof. Remember, cats are agile climbers.
- Leash Training: While it’s more common for dogs, cats can be trained to walk on a leash. This allows them controlled and safe outdoor experiences. Always use a harness rather than attaching a leash directly to a collar.
- Avoid Peak Traffic Times: If you do allow your cat outside, try to limit their outdoor time to off-peak traffic hours.
- Supervise Outdoor Time: Whenever possible, supervise your cat when they’re outside to ensure they don’t wander into dangerous areas.
- Identification: Make sure your cat wears a breakaway collar with an ID tag containing your contact details. Additionally, have your cat microchipped. This doesn’t prevent accidents but increases the chances of being reunited if they get lost.
- Educate the Community: Encourage neighbors and the local community to drive cautiously, especially in areas where cats or other pets might roam.
- Training: While cats are independent creatures, you can train them to some extent. Teach them to stay away from roads or to come when called.
- Spaying/Neutering: Unaltered cats are more likely to roam and seek mates, increasing their risk of encountering roads. Spaying or neutering reduces this wandering behavior.
- Safe Transport: When traveling, always keep your cat in a secure carrier. Never allow them to roam freely inside a vehicle, as they might get startled and interfere with driving.
- Raise Awareness: Place signs or stickers warning drivers about the presence of cats, similar to the “Children at Play” signs.
- Secure Your Home: Ensure windows and balconies are secure. Cats might fall or jump from high places, not just putting them at risk of injury from the fall but also from subsequent dangers like traffic.
By taking these precautions, you can significantly reduce the risk of your cat being involved in a road accident. Remember always to prioritize your pet’s safety and be aware of their whereabouts and behavior.
How to Prevent Animal Road Accidents
Preventing animal accidents isn’t just a way to keep animals safe–it is also a way to keep drivers and passengers safe. Large animals such as deer can cause massive damage, injury and even death. Estimates suggest that there are approximately 1 to 2 million deer-vehicle collisions annually in the U.S. And along with damage and injury, there is also the issue of heartbreak for the driver as well as for the pet owners, if this was a pet.
Here are several measures that drivers, communities, and individuals can adopt to reduce the risk:
- Be Vigilant During Dawn and Dusk: Many animals, especially larger wildlife like deer, are most active during dawn and dusk. Increase your awareness and reduce your speed during these times.
- Adhere to Posted Speed Limits: Driving at or below the speed limit, especially in areas known for wildlife, gives you more time to react if an animal appears in the road.
- Use High Beams When Possible: Using your high beams can help you spot animals more easily, especially at night. Just remember to dim them for oncoming traffic.
- Look for Eye-Shine: At night, the reflective eyes of animals can be seen when illuminated by headlights.
- Pay Attention to Warning Signs: Signs indicating animal crossings, especially in areas with high animal traffic, should be taken seriously.
- Stay in Your Lane: If an animal appears suddenly in the road, brake firmly but avoid swerving, which can lead to more severe accidents.
- Honk in Short Bursts: If an animal is in or near the roadway, honking in short bursts can help scare it away.
- Avoid Feeding Animals Near Roads: Whether it’s intentional feeding or littering, food can attract animals and increase the risk of road accidents.
- Fence and Barrier Installations: Communities can invest in fencing along highways and busy roads, especially in areas known for wildlife activity, to prevent animals from entering the roadway.
- Wildlife Crossings: Overpasses and underpasses specifically designed for wildlife can help animals safely cross roads, reducing the risk of collisions.
- Keep Pets Secure: Ensure pets are leashed or contained when outside, especially if you live near busy roads. Never let them roam freely near traffic areas.
- Educate and Advocate: Raise awareness in your community about the importance of animal road safety. Encourage local authorities to implement measures like wildlife crossings or clearer signage.
- Report Dead Animals: If you see a dead animal on the road, report it to local authorities so they can safely remove it. This not only prevents further accidents caused by drivers swerving but also deters scavengers from coming onto the road.
- Utilize Technology: Some newer car models come equipped with animal detection systems that can alert drivers to animals on or near the roadway.
By being aware, practicing safe driving habits, and advocating for preventive measures in your community, the risk of animal road accidents can be significantly reduced. Protecting animals on the road also ensures safer conditions for drivers.
What to Do if You Hit an Animal
Hitting an animal with your vehicle can be a distressing event. If you find yourself in this unfortunate situation, here’s what you should do:
Ensure Your Safety First:
- Pull over to a safe spot off the road.
- Turn on your hazard lights.
- Stay aware of oncoming traffic when exiting the vehicle or approaching the animal.
Check on the Animal:
- Approach with caution. An injured animal may be scared and could act aggressively.
- If it’s safe to do so, check if the animal is alive. Do not put yourself at risk by trying to move a large animal or one that is showing aggressive behavior.
Call for Help:
- Call local law enforcement or animal control. They can assist with the situation and direct you on the best course of action.
- If the animal is a cat or dog, they might have a collar with contact information. If it’s safe and possible to do so, check for identification.
Document the Incident:
- Take photos of the scene, the animal, and any damage to your vehicle. This can be helpful for insurance purposes and any required reports.
- If there were witnesses, get their contact information.
Don’t Leave the Scene:
- Especially in the case of larger animals, leaving the scene of the accident could be illegal in some jurisdictions. It’s important to report the incident to local law enforcement or other appropriate agencies and wait for their guidance.
Contact Your Insurance Company:
- If there’s damage to your vehicle, or if you’ve hit a large animal like a deer, contact your insurance company to report the incident and check on coverage for any repairs.
Get Medical Attention:
- Even if you feel fine, accidents can result in injuries that aren’t immediately apparent. If you’re feeling any discomfort, or if the collision was significant, consider seeing a doctor.
You can also work to influence local governments to work to identify pets killed on the roadside and update microchip records. In the UK, for example, Parliament member Tonia Antoniazzi noted, “By requiring local authorities to make attempts to identify cat fatalities, comfort and certainty can be given to owners whose cats are killed in accidents. A freedom of information request carried out by Cats Protection in May 2019 found that 92% of local councils in England have some sort of arrangement in place to scan cats, but only 75% inform the chip company.”
More Cat Holidays
World Animal Road Accident Awareness Day is just one of many autumn cat holidays; you might also like these:
- Cat Adoption: FAQ You Might Have - June 28, 2024
- Protecting Birds with Birdsbesafe Cat Collars - April 24, 2024
- Are Eclipses Dangerous to Cats? - March 4, 2024