Once you ride out of the city or onto mountain roads, you may meet dogs, chickens, buffalo, cows or a whole herd on the road surface. The wrong reaction, such as a sudden swerve or a long blast of the horn, can be more dangerous than the animal itself. This guide brings together the advice in the Utah Motorcycle Operator Handbook 2024 (United States) and rules 214 and 215 of the UK Highway Code published on GOV.UK.
Quick answer: what to do when an animal is on the road
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- Small animal while you are in traffic: stay in your lane and do not swerve into another lane; hitting something small is less dangerous to you than hitting a car.
- Dog chasing you: slow down, approach it slowly, then accelerate and leave it behind; do not kick at it and keep control of the bike.
- Large animal such as a cow or buffalo: brake and prepare to stop, because large animals are unpredictable.
- Herd blocking the road: stop and switch off the engine until the animals have left the road.
- Do not scare animals: no horn, no revving and no rapid acceleration once you have passed them.
Common situations and how to handle them
The table sums up each situation according to the two sources above:
| Situation | What to do | Source |
|---|---|---|
| A small animal runs out while you are in traffic | Stay in your lane; avoid it only if you can do so safely, never by moving into a lane with cars | Utah handbook |
| A dog chases the bike | Slow down, approach slowly, then accelerate away; do not kick | Utah handbook |
| Buffalo, cows or other large animals on the road | Brake and prepare to stop | Utah handbook |
| Passing animals beside the road | Ride slowly, give plenty of room, be ready to stop | Highway Code 214 |
| A herd blocks the whole road | Stop and switch off the engine until the herd has left the road | Highway Code 214 |
| Horses or horse-drawn vehicles | Pass wide and slowly, be patient, no horn or revving | Highway Code 215 |
Small animals: stay in your lane
The Utah handbook says you should do everything you safely can to avoid hitting an animal. If you are in traffic, however, remain in your lane: hitting something small is less dangerous to you than hitting something big, like a car.
- Do not swerve into the oncoming lane or into a lane with cars to miss a chicken or a small dog.
- Use both brakes smoothly if you have the distance; see motorcycle braking technique.
- If there is a safe gap, a controlled swerve lets you change your path without losing balance.
When a dog chases your motorbike
According to the Utah handbook, motorcycles seem to attract dogs. If you are being chased, downshift (on a geared bike) or ease off the throttle (on a scooter) and approach the animal slowly. As you get close, accelerate and leave the animal behind.
- Do not kick at the dog: the handbook puts keeping control of your motorcycle first.
- Hold the handlebars firmly and look where you want to go, not at the animal.
- Scan early along the roadside and house gates to spot animals from a distance; see the SEE strategy.
Buffalo, cows and herds on the road
For larger animals, the Utah handbook advises you to brake and prepare to stop, because they are unpredictable. Highway Code rule 214 adds that when passing animals you should ride slowly, give them plenty of room and be ready to stop.
- Slow down early when you see livestock at the roadside, since an animal can step into the road at any moment.
- Look out for animals being led or herded on the road and take extra care.
- If a herd blocks the road, stop and switch off your engine until the animals have left it.
- If the wait is long, move the bike to a safe place; see how to pull over safely.
Do not frighten animals
Highway Code rule 214 says not to scare animals by sounding your horn, revving your engine or accelerating rapidly once you have passed them. For horses and horse-drawn vehicles, rule 215 says to always pass wide and slowly, be patient and avoid the horn and revving; in the UK the same rule also gives a maximum of 10 mph (about 16 km/h) when you see a horse and at least 2 metres of space when passing.
- Roll the throttle gently as you approach and just after you pass the animal.
- Leave a wide gap to one side if the road allows it and nothing is coming the other way.
- Be patient and wait for a safe moment rather than squeezing through a herd.
Bends, narrow lanes and unfenced roads
Rule 214 also asks you to keep your speed down at bends and on narrow country roads, and to watch out for animals on unfenced roads. On a blind bend, an animal can be standing just past the corner when you no longer have room to stop.
- Enter bends slowly so you can always stop within the distance you can see; see motorcycle cornering.
- Keep a gap to the vehicle ahead so you have time to react; see motorcycle following distance.
- After dark animals are harder to see; see riding a motorcycle at night.
If you rent from Mr Tú – Old Quarter Motorbike Rental, save the rental contact details before you set off and call if the bike has a problem on the road.
FAQ: animals on the road
Should I swerve to avoid a dog or a chicken?
If you are in traffic, the Utah handbook advises staying in your lane, because hitting something small is less dangerous than hitting a car. Only avoid the animal if you can do so safely.
Should I speed up or slow down when a dog chases me?
The Utah handbook says to slow down and approach the animal slowly, then accelerate to leave it behind; do not kick at it and keep a firm grip on the handlebars.
What should I do if a herd of cattle blocks the road?
Stop, switch off the engine and wait until the herd has left the road, as Highway Code rule 214 advises; do not sound the horn or rev the engine.
Should I use the horn to get animals off the road?
The Highway Code advises against sounding the horn, revving or accelerating hard near animals. Large animals are unpredictable, so riding slowly and being ready to stop is the safer choice.
Sources: Utah Department of Public Safety, Driver License Division – Motorcycle Operator Handbook 2024 (Animals); GOV.UK – The Highway Code, rule 214 (Animals) and rule 215 (Horse riders and horse-drawn vehicles). Checked on 13/11/2026.
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