Lassie’s Law: Ohio bill offers ‘closure’ when pets are killed on roadways

[In the player above, watch previous coverage on a missing Ohio cat that was found in Chicago from FOX 8 sister station 2News.]

COLUMBUS , Ohio (WJW) — A new Ohio House bill would require road workers to work to identify pets found dead on roadways, offering their families “closure,” said a state lawmaker.

In addition to plowing roads and keeping them safe, Ohio road crews are tasked with removing and disposing of dead animals. Under House Bill 379 , dubbed Lassie’s Law, which was introduced last month, workers would be required to first scan dead dogs and cats found in Ohio roadways for identifying microchips, so their owners can be notified.

“I am an avid dog lover. I have two wonderful dogs named Ebony and Ivory, who I cannot imagine living without,” state Rep. Sara Carruthers of Hamilton, R-47th, one of the bill’s co-sponsors, is quoted in a news release. “Lassie’s Law allows the families to have a sense of closure which, in times of a pet’s disappearance, is the best gift anyone could give.”

The bill requires road service employers to buy the scanners, which can vary in cost from $30 to $300, according to an Ohio Legislative Service Commission analysis of the bill . Local road crews may only need a few of them, the commission noted. The Ohio Department of Transportation would likely be buying the most, to supply each of its 12 districts.

If a microchip is found, workers would have to pass along the pet owner’s contact information to their employer, according to an analysis of the bill . If it’s found by a private company, then the information must be passed on to the public entity with jurisdiction over the roadway.

“Being the owner of three dogs, Hashtag, Rey and Louie, I can attest that having my friends chipped has paid dividends in at least one instance,” the bill’s other co-sponsor, state Rep. Brian Lorenz of Powell, R-60th, wrote in his testimony.

Public employees would then take possession of the body, or receive it from a privately operated crew. Public workers would then have to “make a reasonable effort” to contact the owner registered on the pet’s microchip.

The owner would have 24 hours to retrieve the remains before they’re disposed of. The bill requires the remains to be stored “in a sanitary manner,” which may also create additional costs, the commission noted.

Since Ohio is a home rule state, Ohio Legislative Service Commission analysts note the courts may consider whether the bill applies to municipal corporations and chartered counties, since they may govern themselves so long as they don’t conflict with general law.

To be considered general laws, statutes must be part of a “statewide and comprehensive legislative enactment” and apply uniformly to all parts of the state, according to the LSC. They must also set local regulations and “prescribe a rule of conduct upon citizens.”

The bill is now before the House’s Transportation Committee, and further hearings are expected.

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