Traffic police are pleading with farmers along the Raocheng Expressway in Haikou, capital of Hainan province, to prevent their cattle, pigs, dogs and other animals from walking on the highway.

The farmers were urged to watch over their domestic animals after seven cows were killed in a traffic accident on Wednesday night. The animals were killed when a lorry crashed into them at 2 am.

According to traffic rules, animals are not allowed onto expressways and careless owners face prosecution.

(China Daily April 28, 2009)