Dogs killed on roads must be returned to owners: ministers

Grieving pet owners in the UK will be reunited with their dogs that have been killed on the roads in order to give the dog lovers "real peace of mind".
A campaign for the so-called "Harvey's Law" - named after a poodle that went missing in 2013 - is calling for the Highways Agency to be required to scan animals found on the motorways for microchips which could locate their owners.
The campaigners say the Agency has been abandoning its duties to ensure that contractors working on the roads always seek to reunite missing or dead pets with their owners.

A petition calling for the new law has attracted more than 100,000 signatures and the proposal will be debated in Parliament tomorrow, with transport minister John Hayes and Michael Dugher, Labour's shadow transport secretary, expected to pledge their support for the new rules.
Hayes, said: "Clearly when a dog dies on the road, it ought to be returned to its owner if at all possible.
"As the owner of two much loved pets myself, I understand the distress people suffer if their animal is lost and never found. I have instructed the Highways Agency to review its scanning policy to ensure greater consistency across the country," The Telegraph quoted Hayes as saying.

Dugher said scanning and logging dogs killed on motorways would bring "real peace of mind to dog owners".

"Scanning and logging dogs who have sadly been killed on our motorways is a simple procedure for the Highways Agency to undertake, but it makes such a big difference to people," he said.
"Britain is a nation of dog lovers and ensuring the Highways Agency continues to implement these procedures will save untold heartache. Labour will act to ensure that ID checks are always done so that families can be informed if their dog is found dead."
Ministers are expected to instruct the Highways Agency to conduct mandatory identification checks - for microchips which contain owners' details - on the remains of pets found on the roads.

In 2013, a poodle called Harvey was killed on a motorway after he went missing during a visit to Liverpool. His distraught owner, Jude Devine, from Sheffield, only found out 13 weeks later that he had died and spent over 8,000 pounds in search of the dog.
"We are currently reviewing our approach to scanning as we want to ensure greater consistency," a Highways Agency spokesman said.