What do you mean? In most, if not all, jurisdictions that is a hit and run. Of course, the dog isn't going to remember the license plate and call the police, but it is still a crime.

I think there is a penalty for that - especially if it was intentional, which would make the situation fall under "cruelty to animals," I believe... and not only that, if hitting a dog or cat is considered an accident, aren't you legally required to not leave the scene of an accident?

I believe in most of the USA, pets are considered property, so it would be considered a hit-and-run accident, but the penalty would be for leaving the scene of property damage, not the same as for hitting a person.

I know of a case where a dude got sentenced to 11 years in state prison for a combined series of sicko incidences of animal torture. And I betcha around here if could be proved via witnesses, etc., an intentional animal 'hit-and-run' likely would be criminally charged. But I'm sure that prosecuting folks for isolated accidental incidences would treble taxes, at the very least. So there's that...

First, I'm a dog lover. However... If I hit your dog you better believe I'm going to stop because YOU are going to pay to fix the damage to my car.

Because those animals, especially dogs, are supposed to be under the care and supervision of the owner. If a dog runs out into the road that is because the owner did not adequately confine or restrain the dog to keep it inside it's own territory. Cats are a little different, since one cannot reasonably restrain a cat inside a yard, or on a lead. It is reasonable to assume that most people with outdoor cats understand the risks of having an outdoor cat, and what could result from it. It is not reasonable to require drivers to stop for an animal that they hit by accident because the animal was somewhere it shouldn't be. That would cause traffic problems from people stopping to attend to an animal that is most likely to die anyway. It may sound cruel, but it would cause alot more problems than it would solve to have driver liability of that. In the case of dogs in communities with leash laws, I would even say that the dog's owner should be responsible for damage caused by their animal to a vehicle. If a driver clearly and intentionally hits an animal, though, that I would consider cruel. Personally, if I hit an animal, I stop, move it to the side of the road, and look for a collar to notify the owner.