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Animal Accidents – News & Facts

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Author Nelleke van Niekerk, BSc Food Science (Biochemistry)

Horses stop motorway traffic. Image Generated by Alana Theron with DALL-E.

Accidents happen every day. Whether we bump our toe, spill our coffee, or walk into a glass door. And in the animal kingdom, it is no different! They might not spill their coffee, but they do fall over, get stuck in uncomfortable places, and even have cases of mistaken identity. How embarrassing! 

Unfortunately, not all accidents involving animals are lighthearted, some incidents cause serious harm to the animal and even humans who are involved. Nonetheless, let us have a further look at some accidents animals were involved in.

Timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) coiled next to car wheel. Image via Depositphotos

5 Animals Frequently Involved In Car Accidents

As I mentioned earlier, some of the accidents animals are involved in can be quite serious. Here is a list of 5 animals to look out for on the road: 

  1. Squirrels: These tiny animals are involved in the most car accidents in the US of all animals. If you’ve ever seen a squirrel, you would know that these are very indecisive animals, and their back-and-forth dance could be the reason for these accidents. 
  2. Cats: Unfortunately cats do not have the instinct to sense that busy streets and fast cars are dangerous, which makes them more susceptible to getting hit by cars.  
  3. Deer: Deer get blinded by headlights, which either causes them to freeze in the middle of the road or to run, sadly they often then run in front of cars. 
  4. Raccoons: These scavengers get hit by cars when they run across the road or get frightened and run in the car’s way. 
  5. Rats: These rodents are also often killed by cars when they run across the street, as their lack of fear prevents them from spotting the danger of fast-moving cars. 

Recent Animal Accident News

How Do Animals React To Accidents

In general, animals react to a situation through their instinctive fight-or-flight response. Some animals in accidents flee and hide, especially if they are hurt. Where others resort to fighting their way out of a situation. This reaction varies between species and is highly unpredictable. 

Smaller incidents, like accidentally stepping on our dog’s paw or cat’s tail, make us feel like the worst person ever, right? Luckily studies have confirmed that cats and dogs, and some other species, can pick up when something is an accident. Their judgment of facial expressions, body language, and emotional responses shows that we never wanted to hurt them. What a relief! 

Although animals’ reactions can be quite comical in some of the situations they get themselves into, it is important to remember that these situations stress them out, and we must keep calm for their sake. 

Animal Accidents FAQs

How can I help an injured animal after an accident?

The most important thing is to stay calm and approach the animal with caution, as you do not want to cause any further stress to the animal. You can also call local wildlife rehabs or veterinarians for assistance and advice!

How can I avoid hitting an animal on the road? 

The most important rule of thumb is to stay alert and aware of the road, especially during the evenings. Keep your headlights on, drive at a slower speed, and use your horn to warn the animal. 

How can I prevent my pet from getting into an accident? 

You can do so by keeping your pet safe behind a fence in your yard and always having them on a leash when you go for your walks. If you have a trainable pet, teach them to stay close to you and not run off into the streets. 

What happens to animals when they get stuck in something? 

Many animals try to wrangle themselves free out of panic, which can lead to more injuries in the process. So, if you ever come across a stuck animal call animal rescue to help free them if you are not confident enough to do so yourself.

Why Do We Write About Animal Accidents? 

Considering some animals get involved in serious, even fatal, accidents you might be wondering why we choose to cover this topic. Well, we believe that all aspects of animal lives should be understood and respected. And that educating ourselves on what to do in these incidents could save an animal, and even a human’s, life. 

On the other hand, the sometimes adorable and comical predicaments animals seem to find themselves we just share to spread a smile around the world! We hope the information you saw here helped you gain some valuable insight into the eventful lives of animals.

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