LaPorte County creates morgue for cats, dogs

Owners of pets killed on the road will get a chance to provide them with a proper burial under a new program in LaPorte County.LaPorte County Animal Control officer Jane Bernard said the effort is about providing closure and peace of mind for owners wondering about the fate of their missing dog or cat."We just thought that as a good community we want to take care of people's pets," she said.For years, the LaPorte County Highway Department has taken deceased cats and dogs found along roadsides directly to a composting pile containing wild animals that suffered a similar death at its main location at 1805 5th St. in LaPorte.Road crews on Thursday were instructed to take all bodies to the LaPorte County Small Animal Shelter at 2855 W. Ind. 2, next to the fairgrounds.Bernard, who's also the director of the shelter, said bodies will be scanned. If there's a microchip with contact information, an attempt will be made to reach the owner.Contact information will also be gleaned from any ID tags.