BILL NUMBER:S4877

TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the highway law, in relation to
notifying the owner of an animal killed on a highway

PURPOSE:  This bill would allow for the owners of a deceased animal to
be notified if the death occurred on a stretch of highway.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section (1.) The highway law is amended by adding a new section 332 to
read as follows, S.322, to establish the notifying of an owner of an
animal killed on a highway. Subsection (a) reading that if the animal.
in question has a tag with the family's contact information and/or a
license number, the department shall (i.) make a reasonable attempt to
notify the family using the contact information and (ii.)  notify the
issuer of the license, if any, so that the issuer will attempt to
notify the family.

Subsection (b) reading that the department shall scan the animal's
remains for an identification chip and, should a chip be found, notify
the chip registry through website or phone, in accordance with the
information on the I.D. Chip.

Subsection (c) reading that in the case the animal is missing a tag or
I.D. Chip, the department shall use a publicly available website to
              

post a description of the animal and the circumstances related to
death; and to post a photograph of the animal if the department
believes it can be done with due respect for personal and community
sensibilities.

Subsection (d) reading that if the department has a suitable temporary
storage facility it shall store the animal's remains for at least
seven days (i.)after pick up or (ii.) make actual contact directly
with the animal's owners, whichever is longer.

Subsection (e) reading that the department can delegate the above
functions to another entity such as a shelter or veterinarian.

JUSTIFICATION:  In most cases if a pet is killed in an accident on the
highway the remains are not taken to a shelter and scanned for
identification marks such as an identification tag/chip but rather the
remains are disposed of by highway maintenance. Furthermore the
highway maintenance crews have no legal responsibility, nos do they
possess the resources, to scan the remains for identification marks
and report the death to the owner(s). This bill would allow for the
owner's to receive piece of mind by creating several standards for the
notification in cases of death on a highway.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: None

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:  To be determined.

EFFECTIVE DATE:  This act shall take effect immediately.