Hugo, who was widely known around the streets of Scotland’s capital city, passed away after being struck by a car
A feline “West End legend” is at the heart of a campaign to alter a law connecting to animals. Hugo, who was an Arabian Mau cat, was a popular face for the locals of Edinburgh’s West End in Scotland’s capital city. He was typically seen roaming around the streets, and even those who didn’t see him personally delighted in staying up to date with his shenanigans through the numerous pictures and videos of him that were published on social networks.
Hugo regretfully passed away last month after being struck by a car, and now individuals who liked him are requiring a modification in the law to need individuals who hit a cat in their vehicle to report the event to the cops, a veterinarian and the RSPCA.
Currently, drivers need to inform the authorities if they strike dogs, horses, sheep, pigs, foxes, badgers, mules, cows and goats with their vehicle, under a section of the Road Traffic Act 1988, which uses to England, Scotland and Wales. They are likewise required to notify a veterinarian so that the animal can be checked out and offered treatment if required. The exact same law is not pertinent to cats. The Department for Transport discusses the difference in between animals due to the fact that those covered by the law are working animals instead of domestic family pets.
In reaction to Hugo’s unexpected death, residents are campaigning for “Hugo’s Law” to alter the law on picking up animals to consist of cats. Hugo’s owner, Jane Rutherford told the BBC that she thinks it would be a proper homage. She said: “A cat is no less valuable than a dog. We do not understand for how long he existed – 10 minutes or an hour – in discomfort. I would like to see that modification so other family pets are not disposed of.”
The connection we have with our feline pals is an extremely unique bond
Paula Stewart, Managing Director at The Animal Talent
The campaign has actually likewise reached the attention of animal fans all throughout the UK. Paula Stewart, Paula Stewart, Managing Director at The Animal Talent, an animal casting firm which supplies fairly skilled animals for movie, television and imaginative media productions, informed NationalWorld that she was “really sorry” to find out about Hugo. She included: “It’s great that the community are uniting for something so positive; Hugo would have a lasting legacy that supports many cats and their owners.”
Stewart likewise backed their require a modification in the law, stating that it might assist in saving a cat’s life if action was taken rapidly. She included: “On top of this, this will help the worried owners immeasurably. The connection we have with our feline friends is a very special bond and we should do everything we can to support the welfare of animals and their guardians.”
‘Having a law would be very difficult to enforce’
The concern was already debated in Parliament in January this year, after a petition on the subject reached 102,437 signatures. The Department for Transport decided at the time not to alter the law to consist of cats, stating that the Government focus was to “make roads safer for all users, which will in turn reduce the risk to all animals”.
Officials likewise questioned just how much of an effect such a modification in law would really have, although they acknowledged “how distressing it can be for someone to lose a pet, especially without knowing what has happened”. A declaration checked out: “Having a law making it a requirement to report road accidents involving cats would be very difficult to enforce and we have reservations about the difference it would make to the behaviour of drivers, who are aware that they have run over a cat and do not report it.”
Although there is no commitment to report the deaths of cats on roadways, Rule 286 of The Highway Code does encourage drivers to report a mishap including any animal to the cops and likewise notify the owner of domestic family pets what has actually taken place if possible.
Despite there being no legal requirement to do so, animal charity Cats Protection said they motivate anybody who hurts a cat while driving to take the animal to a veterinarian for treatment or report the event to their regional authority cleaning department if it’s a casualty. They likewise gotten in touch with the Government to present required microchipping for all animal cats in the UK. This legislation will be presented in England in 2024, however the charity likewise wishes to see it embraced in Scotland.
[It’s] heartbreaking for owners to not understand the fate of a lost or missing out on cat
Alice Palombo, federal government relations officer at Cats Protection
Cats Protection’s advocacy and federal government relations officer Alice Palombo informed NationalWorld: “We believe it’s important that all owners across the UK are able to have their cat identified in the very sad case where their cat is a victim of a road traffic accident. We’d encourage local councils to scan any cats they do collect so their owners can be informed, as it’s heartbreaking for owners to not know the fate of a lost or missing cat.”
One organisation, Cats Matter, which has actually been campaigning for the modification in the law because 2017, said “all cats deserve better”. A statement on their website checks out: “Our ultimate goal is to challenge UK law surrounding cat’s welfare on our roads, because all cats matter. We continuously liaise with MPs and Government departments and work tirelessly towards making it illegal for drivers to leave the scene without reporting if they hit a cat . . . in the hope of changing driver mind-sets that it is ‘just a cat’.”
“He played such a huge part in the community”
After Hugo’s death, on 26 April, Rutherford published on different social networks pages consisting of Edinburgh’s West End to notify individuals of his death. In the post, she described her animal as “one in a million” and thanked everybody who had actually liked him. She composed: “Just thought I’d let you all know that Hugo was involved in a traffic accident. Thanks to one of our fabulous community, Jack, he was taken to a vet. Unfortunately, due to a number of factors, I had to make the difficult decision to put Hugo to sleep. My heart is broken but he was comfortable and peaceful.”
The post received numerous remarks, as individuals revealed their grief at his death, provided their acknowledgements to Rutherford and shared their memories of pictures of Hugo. One individual composed: “Loved the photos of him lying around in the sun. A West End legend. RIP Hugo.” Another individual said: “So sorry to hear this news, always enjoyed seeing reports of his travels in this group, and felt very lucky to have got to meet him a couple of times.” One individual said: “So so sad to hear this news. He played such a huge part in the community and he will be missed.”
Hugo was initially a rescue cat Ms Rutherford embraced in Doha, Qatar. They resided in Abu Dhabi and after that Spain prior to kicking back in Edinburgh, Scotland, ten years back. One individual recommended on Facebook that Hugo must be eternalized with a bronze statue, something which was well received by Rutherford who said she would “love” him to be kept in mind because method.
