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Dog or cat hit by a car: what to do in the first 30 minutes

Iris van Loon · Editor-in-chief
7 min read

A collision takes one second. What you do in the half hour that follows often decides the outcome. This is the order: your own safety first, then the call, then keeping the animal still and warm. Plus the mistakes that cause the most harm.

A collision takes one second. What you do in the half hour that follows often matters more than what happens later in the clinic. Below is the order, short enough to read with one hand.

Quick answer: Secure yourself first: hazard lights on, high-visibility vest on, stay off the carriageway. Then call for help and give your exact location. Next, cover the animal and keep it still. Do not lift it while a spinal injury has not been ruled out. If people are hurt or traffic is in danger, call the emergency number first.

The phone numbers and legal duties below apply to the Netherlands. If you are somewhere else, the steps stay the same, but look up your own country's emergency number and rules first: in the European Union 112 is the general emergency number, while animal ambulances and reporting duties differ per country.

What do you do in the first minute?

A second accident helps nobody. Park past the spot, hazard lights on, vest on before you get out. Never stand with your back to traffic, and leave children in the car.

Only then look at the animal from a few metres away and answer three questions: is it moving, is it breathing, and is it on the carriageway or the verge?

If people are injured or the animal is blocking a busy road, call the emergency number first.

Who do you call, and what do you say?

In the Netherlands you call 144 for a pet, the national reporting number for animals in distress. They decide whether the animal ambulance, the animal police or a shelter comes out.

One thing is rarely mentioned: 144 is no longer guaranteed to be staffed day and night. The Dutch animal welfare organisation Dierenbescherming lists Monday to Saturday 8:00 to 18:30 and Sunday 9:30 to 18:30, and advises calling the police line 0900-8844 if nobody answers, or 112 in an emergency (dierenbescherming.nl). At night, do not assume the call will be picked up.

For large wild animals such as deer or wild boar, call the police on 0900-8844 instead of the animal ambulance. The Dutch wildlife management units are clear about it: do not chase the animal, do not take it with you, wait for the trained handler (FBE Noord-Holland).

Give them the street plus a marker post or house number, which animal it is, what you can see, and whether the animal is lying on the road. Stay at the scene as long as that is safe.

Can you touch or lift the animal?

Touching: calmly and from the front, yes. Lifting: only if you really must.

An injured animal bites out of pain and fear, even one you have known for years. The Dutch pet information centre LICG therefore advises looping a bandage around a dog's muzzle and tying it behind the neck, and wrapping a cat in a thick towel instead (licg.nl). Never do this with an animal that is struggling to breathe, is vomiting, or has a short nose.

If the animal has to come off the road, support the whole body and keep the back as straight as possible. If you suspect a spinal or neck injury, slide the animal onto a flat, rigid surface instead of lifting it: a board, a car parcel shelf, a piece of stiff cardboard. Veterinary guidance is consistent here, movement of the head, neck and spine must be kept to a minimum (Merck Veterinary Manual, PDSA).

Never lift a cat by the legs or the scruff; slide it into a box or laundry basket lined with a towel. If the dog weighs more than about fifteen kilos, do it with two people.

What should you not do?

This is the part that is rarely written down and that prevents the most damage.

  • Do not lift an animal whose hind legs are dragging or whose back end is limp. That points to spinal or pelvic injury, and lifting it wrongly can turn a partial fracture into a complete one.
  • Do not give food or water. Anaesthesia may follow, and drinking is dangerous with internal injuries or swallowing problems.
  • Do not give painkillers from your own cupboard. Paracetamol can be fatal to cats, and ibuprofen and diclofenac are toxic to dogs and cats.
  • Do not put a hot water bottle or heat pad against the body. An animal in shock has poor skin circulation and burns easily. A blanket is enough.
  • Do not put iodine, ointment or alcohol in the wound, and leave any embedded object in place.
  • Do not run after an animal that flees. You will drive it further onto the road.
  • Do not drive on, not even if the animal seems to have got away.
  • Do not go home because the animal looks fine. Internal damage can take 12 to 72 hours to show. Always have the animal assessed.

How do you recognise shock, and what then?

Watch for pale or greyish gums, fast shallow breathing, cold paws and ears, and an animal that becomes steadily more drowsy. That is an emergency.

What you do: keep the animal still, flat and warm with a blanket or coat, avoid moving it back and forth, and get to a vet or animal ambulance as fast as possible. Call ahead so a table is ready.

This article does not replace a vet. It describes what you can do until professional help arrives. Every treatment decision belongs with a veterinarian.

Are you legally required to stop if you hit an animal?

In the Netherlands: in most cases yes, and few people know it.

Article 7 of the Road Traffic Act 1994 (Wegenverkeerswet 1994) forbids leaving the scene of an accident if, as you know or should reasonably suspect, injury or damage has been caused to another person (wetten.overheid.nl). A dog or cat with an owner falls under that. Article 3:2a of the Dutch Civil Code states that animals are not objects, but that the provisions on objects do apply to animals (wetten.overheid.nl). Damage to someone's animal is therefore damage to that person. Anyone who properly offers the opportunity at the scene to establish their identity and that of their vehicle falls outside the ban (article 7, paragraph 2).

Drove on anyway, in panic? Article 184 of the same act rules out prosecution if you report the accident to the police voluntarily within twelve hours, before you have been arrested or questioned as a suspect, and identify yourself and your vehicle. That is a reason to call today rather than tomorrow.

For large wild animals you report to the police, and the province's wildlife casualty scheme takes over.

Do you have a duty if you only find an injured animal?

Yes. Article 2.1, paragraph 6 of the Dutch Animals Act is one sentence long: everyone shall provide an animal in need with the necessary care. Paragraph 7 extends that to animals nobody keeps, so wild animals as well (wetten.overheid.nl).

You do not have to be a vet for that. A report to 144 with a precise location already fulfils that duty of care in practice. And as a finder you are not automatically the one paying the bill. Our Dutch step-by-step guide covers that: gewond dier gevonden, wat nu (in Dutch).

What if the animal ran off?

That happens often, and it says little about how serious it is: adrenaline masks a lot. A cat that has been hit usually does not go far, but hides low and close by, under a car, in a hedge or under a shed.

Do this: note the time, place and direction, report it anyway, and search low with a torch, also in daylight. Ask neighbours to look under their cars and in their sheds. A microchipped animal is identified immediately at a vet, so report it even if it ran away.

What you can do afterwards

If you call an animal ambulance, expect a wait: most Dutch animal ambulances run on volunteers and donations. Read how to call an animal ambulance in the Netherlands.

The first care after a collision, transport, X-rays, pain relief, cannot wait until it is clear who pays. Donors fill that gap. You can donate, read what it costs to save an animal, or see other ways to help animals in need.

Sources and disclaimer

Statutes and opening hours can change; check the source if in doubt. This article is general information, not legal advice and no substitute for a veterinarian.

Frequently asked questions

What people often ask us

Short, honest answers to the questions people ask most.

What do you do first when a dog or cat has been hit by a car?

Make yourself safe first: park past the spot, hazard lights on, high-visibility vest on. Then call for help and give your exact location. Next, cover the animal with a coat or blanket and keep it still. If people are hurt or the animal blocks a busy road, call the emergency number first.

Are you legally required to stop if you hit an animal in the Netherlands?

In most cases yes. Article 7 of the Dutch Road Traffic Act 1994 forbids leaving the scene when you know or should reasonably suspect that injury or damage has been caused to another person. A dog or cat with an owner counts, because the provisions on objects apply to animals under article 3:2a of the Dutch Civil Code. Offer the chance to establish your identity at the scene.

I drove on after hitting an animal. Can I still put that right?

Report it to the police yourself as soon as possible. Article 184 of the Dutch Road Traffic Act 1994 rules out prosecution if you report the accident voluntarily within twelve hours, before you have been arrested or questioned as a suspect, and identify yourself and your vehicle.

Do you have a duty if you only find an injured animal?

Yes. Article 2.1, paragraph 6 of the Dutch Animals Act states that everyone shall provide an animal in need with the necessary care, and paragraph 7 extends that to animals nobody keeps, including wild animals. You do not have to be a vet: a report with a precise location already fulfils that duty in practice.

Can you lift a dog or cat that has been hit by a car?

Only if the animal is in immediate danger. Dragging hind legs or a limp back end point to spinal or pelvic injury, and lifting it wrongly can turn a partial fracture into a complete one. Slide the animal onto a board, parcel shelf or stiff cardboard and keep the back as straight as possible. Slide a cat into a box or laundry basket.

What must you never give an animal that has been hit by a car?

No food and no water, because anaesthesia may follow and swallowing is dangerous with internal injuries. No painkillers from your own cupboard either: paracetamol can be fatal to cats, and ibuprofen and diclofenac are toxic to dogs and cats. Do not press a hot water bottle or heat pad against the body; a blanket is enough.

The animal ran off after being hit. What now?

Running away says little about the severity, because adrenaline masks pain. Note the time, place and direction, report it anyway, and search low and close by with a torch: under cars, in hedges and under sheds. A microchipped animal is identified immediately at a vet or animal ambulance.

Which number do you call outside the Netherlands?

The numbers 144 and 0900-8844 only work in the Netherlands. Across the European Union 112 is the general emergency number, but animal ambulances, reporting points and reporting duties differ per country. Look up your own country’s number before you need it. The sequence of actions in this article stays the same.

Iris van Loon is editor-in-chief at Stichting Animal Protect and writes about animal welfare, emergency care and honest giving. Every article is fact-checked before publication; cost figures are indicative.

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