Lionel was killed by a driver who failed to stop
Jersey’s law has changed and drivers are now required to report collisions involving cats.
Failure to do so is a punishable offence
Learn more
About Lionel
Lionel was a beautiful young cat loving his new life with his humans and three cat brothers in Grantez, St. Ouen until June 4th 2024 when he was the victim of a hit and run in broad daylight, on a Green Lane, where the speed should be no more than 15 mph.
He was abandoned. The driver did not report the incident. Lionel was found dead alone in the field close to his home.
Lionel loved being outdoors and was a little adventurer. Lionel was a rescue cat, just like his three brothers. He was just learning to trust the world. Lionel was about to turn 2 years old.
Lionel’s story is one which is alarmingly frequent on Jersey’s “safe” roads. Driver’s often fail to report such accidents. Out of 4 cats killed in a 125m stretch of road in Rue de Grantez in the last 8 years, only one driver stopped to let somebody know.
If a vehicle you are driving hits a cat you must act
Failure to do so is punishable by a fine of up to £10k and/or up to 6 months imprisonment
Do the right thing…
Stop
Stop your vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so
Report
Report the incident to the owner or call the JSPCA on 01534 724 331 (or 07797 720 331 out of hours) noting the location of the accident
Check
If possible check on the condition of the animal and offer comfort and support where appropriate
Jersey’s road traffic law has changed
As a motorist you now have explicit duties if your car hits a cat.
Under the updated regulations, the driver of a motor vehicle on a public road who thinks he or she has hit or run over a cat must do two things:
- The driver must stop “as soon as it is safe and reasonably practicable to do so”; and
- The driver must notify either a person who is responsible for caring for the cat or the JSPCA noting the location of the accident.
Help Spread the Word
We appealed for information on Lionel’s last moments. We created posters to place at the site and leaflets to hand out to passersby.
The aim was also to help spread the word on what to do if involved in an accident and that failure to report collisions with cats is now a motor traffic offence.
Please feel free to use our poster template should you need to, whilst also helping to get the message out there.
Speed Matters
Green Lanes are intended principally for enjoyment by pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders. Motor vehicles should try to keep off these lanes and should only use them if absolutely necessary for access or for sightseeing.
The speed limit on Green Lanes is 15 mph.
The speed limit is a limit, not a target.
Learn more about Green Lanes from the States Assembly and at jersey.co.uk.
Lionel was killed on a stretch of Green Lane where three field entrances and the entry point to another Green Lane converge. The injuries on his body indicate he was hit hard and at speed. This area of the Green Lane should perhaps be the safest given the entrances and secondary Green Lane of which motorists must take heed. The collision may not have been avoidable, but the level of injury may have been different.
We hope that by making people aware of the requirements of the road traffic law and the usage of Green Lanes, further cat lives will be saved on our roads.