Italy/New highway code: Italian motorists have to help animals

May 2010

Under the new highway code Italian motorists have the obligation to help animals run over by their vehicles; in case motorist run away without providing help they will face a fine of up to 1500€.

Whoever assists the animals will not be sanctioned in case he breaks the highway code by taking the animals in need of urgent care to a veterinary clinic.

This is an important step towards the acknowledgment of animal rights on legal grounds and is the result of the campaigning carried out by the Italian Antivivisection League (LAV), with the help of the two major Italian parties (PD and PdL) and the Intergruppo Parlamentare Animali (Animalist Parliamentary Group).

The LAV president Gianluca Felicetti has welcomed the new article of the highway code as a step forwards in the legal recognition of animal rights, who are now granted the same right as humans in case of urgent help.

Source: Sarà punito l'automobilista che investe un animale e non gli presta soccorso
Author: Renato Pichler