31 Jul 2025
The Lionesses reserve has joined the RSPCA’s effort to get more closure for owners of cats struck by vehicles.
Chris Simpson
Job Title
Lucy Parker at Newbrook Animal Centre, Birmingham.
A footballer has joined forces with an animal welfare charity in calling for legal reform that would make it mandatory for drivers to report collisions with cats.
Aston Villa defender Lucy Parker has joined the RSPCA in their campaign for change after her own cat, Wilma, was killed in a road traffic accident (RTA) and she only gained closure after her remains were discovered in a bin.
The Women’s Super League star and the charity have written to UK Government ministers to urge them to reform the Road Traffic Act, which requires motorists to report striking animals such as dogs, horses, sheep or cattle with a vehicle.
They also called for the Government to advise local authorities to scan all dead cats found on roads for microchips, and to inform drivers of what to do if they hit a cat via a public awareness campaign.
Ms Parker said that as “cherished family members,” it “doesn’t seem fair” that cats are not covered by the Road Traffic Act.
The 26-year-old, who served as a standby player for England’s Lionesses during their successful UEFA Euro 2025 campaign this summer, added: “Despite the horrific circumstances, we were incredibly lucky to find Wilma as it has become apparent to me that not everyone is granted that same closure.”
She concluded that cats’ “welfare on the roads is not recognised fairly enough right now – and I want to use my voice to help level the playing field; whether that’s urging the UK Government to act, ensuring more local authorities are scanning for cats, or helping motorists know what they should do if they’re involved in a collision.”
RSPCA cat welfare expert Alice Potter urged motorists who have had a collision with cat to try to seek out its owner or take it immediately to a local vet.
She said: “A vet can provide potentially lifesaving treatment if the cat is injured; and in any event can scan the cat for a microchip, so any owner can be notified straight away.
“Even in the most tragic circumstances, this can give owners closure that sadly so many with missing pets who’ve been involved in car accidents never get.”
Pet insurers PetPlan estimate that approximately 230,000 cats are hit by cars in the UK each year – an average of 630 per day.
Earlier this year, a research paper found that RTAs were the leading cause of death in UK cats under the age of nine, with almost half of the cats that died in the study aged eight or under doing so because of them.
Parliament debated the possibility of including cats in the Road Traffic Act in 2023 after a petition reached more than 102,000 signatures, and a similar change.org petition is currently closing in on 50,000.
