Male driver, 43, arrested after cat killed in cruel hit-and-run incident

A 43-year-old male driver was arrested yesterday on suspicion of careless driving as well as failing to stop and report following a traffic accident after he allegedly ran over and killed a cat in Yuen Long on Thursday.

Surveillance footage of the incident, which has gone viral online, shows the vehicle driving down an alley near Lam Tai East Road where a ginger cat was walking.

Upon spotting the cat, the driver not only didn't slow down but rammed into the cat.

The cat was caught under the car after it fell over sideways from the impact. The driver proceeded to run over the cat with the seven-seater's left wheels.

After the driver sped off in the direction of Tai Fat Tsuen, the visibly injured feline began staggering away from the road for safety but collapsed seconds later at the roadside.

Later that day, a 65-year-old woman, Tong, who identified herself as the cat's owner, filed a police report after watching the footage.

Officers arrived at the scene shortly afterward and certified that the cat had died.

The car involved was spotted on Yuen Long Tai Yuk Road yesterday, near Yuen Long Town Hall Community Center.

The suspect, Sit, has been granted bail pending further investigation on the condition that he report to police early next month.

Drivers are required by law to stop their vehicles after hitting cats or dogs. Those who fail to do so risk a HK$10,000 fine and a 12-month prison term. They are also expected to provide officers with their personal particulars no later than 24 hours after the incident. Failure to do so will leave the driver liable to a HK$25,000 fine and a six-month term.

As outlined in chapter 374 of the Road Traffic Ordinance, the legal definition of an "animal" was expanded to cover cats and dogs in addition to horses, sheep, pigs and others following an amendment that came into effect on November 7.