First Road Safety Initiative For CatsSteve O'Malley UK — A pioneering road safety initiative for cats has been unveiled today in Warrington. The pilot scheme, launched by Pro Plan, (Purina, Nestle) aims to reduce feline fatalities and injuries from road traffic accidents. According to Pro Plan, every year in Britain approximately 960,000 cats are involved in road traffic accidents, many of whom die as a result of their injuries. If successful, the organizers hope that the experimental scheme will be adopted on a national level. The specially designed road signs which carry the image of a silhouetted cat, a speed warning and a 'Pro Plan Protects' logo warn drivers that there are cats in the area, to drive more slowly and take extra care. Claire Parry–Baggott from Pro Plan said: "There's always been a history of road signs for horses, farm animals and even hedgehogs, so why not have one for cats? The cat is now the most popular pet in the UK – six million households own one. With the Pro Plan Cat Road Safety campaign, the aim is to protect them when they're out and about, and most at risk." ..And of course, Claire could have added that the scheme has huge potential as a promotional tool for the Pro Plan name. Cats Protection, (CP), endorses the campaign. Helen Ralston, CEO, CP commented: "Far too many cats are involved in road traffic accidents, which causes enormous suffering to pet and owner alike. We warmly welcome the Warrington road sign initiative and hope it will soon be duplicated elsewhere in the country." The Feline Advisory Bureau, (FAB) has also backed the campaign. CEO, Claire Bessant commented: "Most cats really enjoy the great outdoors, however they face danger every time they venture onto roads. It's a problem that has been difficult to tackle before now, so we hope Pro Plan's solution will prove successful and help reduce the number of cats injured in road traffic accidents." Copyright © June 13, 2005 Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking Sites. |
