A Waymo robotaxi hit a small, unleashed dog at Scott and Eddy streets in San Francisco’s Western Addition on Sunday, rattling riders and bystanders and leaving the animal’s condition unclear. Passengers said they heard yelps, then saw a crowd gather around the scene, and one rider later described the episode online. The collision comes just weeks after a Waymo vehicle killed KitKat, a beloved Mission District bodega cat, and it has further stoked local anger over how autonomous cars are operating on city streets.
What Happened
Around 8 PM on Sunday, a Waymo vehicle “made contact with a small, unleashed dog in the roadway” at Scott and Eddy streets, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. A 311 record shows a related report was logged at approximately 8:25 PM at the same intersection, and local animal control teams were notified. Waymo has said it is reviewing the ride data while it follows up with the rider and with neighbors in the area.
Rider Account and Waymo's Follow-Up
The passenger who posted “Our Waymo just ran over a dog” on Reddit’s r/waymo forum wrote that they heard yelps during the trip, then later walked back and found a crowd gathered near the street. In an update to the same thread, the rider said a Waymo manager had called and filed a collision report. According to the rider’s post and follow-up, Waymo offered veterinary or similar services and is reviewing sensor data to figure out exactly what happened. Other commenters urged the rider to file formal complaints with city and state agencies, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle.
Animal Control and 311
San Francisco Animal Care and Control confirmed it received the same 311 complaint on Monday morning. The agency’s captain “called the reporting party, but there was nothing to follow up on,” as reported by Mission Local. Mission Local also noted that the 311 complaint was still open as of Monday afternoon. Animal control staff stated that they planned to attempt to locate the dog and its owner following the initial call.
Why This Matters
The crash follows the high-profile death of KitKat, a Mission District bodega cat struck and killed by a Waymo vehicle weeks earlier, which prompted memorials and a wave of local outrage. Residents say that repeated animal collisions, even if rare compared to human-driven crashes, have eroded trust in autonomous services and sparked questions about how companies report and respond to such incidents. Advocates argue that greater transparency regarding sensor data and post-collision procedures is crucial if these services are to regain public confidence, as cited by Hoodline.
Officials and Policy Fallout
Supervisor Jackie Fielder has called for the state to give counties the power to decide whether autonomous vehicles are allowed to operate in their communities, saying local voters should have a say after incidents such as the bodega cat’s death, according to Axios. The push for local control reflects growing political pressure on regulators who oversee Waymo’s permits and safety reviews. For many neighbors, the run of animal collisions highlights what they perceive as a gap between corporate safety claims and they own experiences on the sidewalk.
What's Next
Waymo has said it is “dedicated to learning from the situation and how we show up for our community as we continue improving road safety.” The rider’s update reported that a collision report has been filed and managers have reached out, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. City officials and animal control teams are reviewing the 311 records and community reports, while advocates continue to push for clearer incident reporting from autonomous fleets. We will be monitoring any regulatory filings or follow-up statements from Waymo and city agencies in the coming days.
