Sleep peacefully, beautiful Jodie...

In honour of our beautiful Jodie, who died as a result of being hit by a car, we have decided to dedicate a section to help advise on what to do if you are involved in a car accident or witness one where an animal is injured. Whilst we sincerely hope you will never need to know what to do if you hit an animal while driving, it’s worth being aware just in case.

THE LAW:

• The Road Traffic Act 1988 only gives rules around certain types of animals: dogs, goats, horses, cattle, donkeys, mules, sheep and pigs.
• If you hit one of these animals, you are required by law to report it to the police.
• If you hit an animal that is not included in the Road Traffic Act, such as a cat or a fox, you are not legally required to report it but we encourage you to contact the police or a rescue to inform them of the incident anyway.

APPROACHING THE ANIMAL:

• First of all, try to stay calm, take deep breaths and assess the situation carefully.
• Be aware of your surroundings – watch out for other cars or anything else that might put you or anyone else in danger.
• If you’re approaching an injured animal, be very careful. It will probably be very scared and could be badly injured and might try to bite or scratch you or could try to run away putting itself and others in more danger.
• If you realise you have hit someone’s pet, please see if you can locate its tag to access the contact details of its owner.
• Remember if you hit a dog or larger animal covered by the Road Traffic Act 1988, you are legally required to report it to the police. This is the law.
• If you are unable to trace the animal’s owner, you need to report the incident to a police officer or at your local police station within 24 hours of the accident. If the animal needs urgent care, the police should hold a list of vets available to attend.

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ACCIDENTS INVOLVING CATS:
It is a very sad reality that cats are often the victims of road accidents.
No one wants to think about his or her cat being harmed, but it’s worth knowing what to do if you should come across one in this situation.

If you able to move the cat
Please take them to a vet and inform the veterinary staff that you are not the owner.
If the cat has no identification, try to spread the word in your neighbourhood through posters and social media that you have discovered an injured cat and taken them to the vet for treatment. Provide your contact details.
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If you are unable to stop
Please report the accident through social media, or contact an animal charity as soon as possible - do not let the cat suffer at the road side as poor Jodie did.
​Although it is not a legal requirement, please get your cats micro-chipped so if they are injured you can be notified. It is a highly important responsibility of owning a cat.

If you come across a RTA or an animal is in a dangerous situation, please call us.

We are run by a very small team of volunteers and helpers. We may be able to help you if you come across the unfortunate circumstances of a road traffic accident involving an animal though.

​So if you need assistance with this, please call us on or message us on Facebook.

Call 07467243212

Message us on FB

Jodie's Story...

​Jodie was found in Wallington in a really bad way... dragging her back legs and in a lot of pain.
​A worried passer by put a call for help out on social media and we at WAR arranged for Jodie to be rushed to the vets.

She was checked for a chip but unfortunately did not have one. She was given strong pain relief, the vet suspected she had be hit by a car.

Jodie was taken back to WAR, but we began to become very concerned as she was unable to pass urine and was deteriorating rapidly.

She was rushed back to the vets for x-rays, which revealed multiple pelvic fractures that could not be repaired. The fractures were also impinging on her spine.

F​or that reason, the heartbreaking decision was made to let her carry on sleeping peacefully.

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WAR Calendar 2018

To remember our brave girl Jodie, the month of October in our WAR calendar has been dedicated to her.
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Additionally, the 23rd of October, the day Jodie crossed over to the rainbow bridge, is now Jodie's day.

If you would like to purchase a calendar to help support our charity with veterinary bills, pet food and facilities, please visit our Merchandise page for more information.

WAR Merchandise