Animals may not be the most common cycling hazard, but they make for some of the wildest stories. Cats, pigeons, squirrels and geese have been known to have thrown themselves under the wheels of cyclists zipping along bike paths or beside parked cars. There’s the story of the man who says a cat once ran between his moving wheels; the same tale has been told of a rabbit. Another story tells of a southern U.S. cyclist who tangled a venomous snake in her front wheel.
Generally speaking, animals are more at risk from you than you are from them. To avoid problems with wild animals and stray pets, use common sense:
In 1972, Richards’ Bicycle Book caused a storm of protest with its advice "Any small dog can simply be hoisted up by the hind legs and his brains dashed out." In fact, because of well enforced municipal regulation, it’s rare in many North American cities to see an unleashed dog outside a designated park area or without a nearby owner.