by: Michelle Pardo<\/p>\n
The \u201cYou Kill It, You Grill It\u201d headline dominated yesterday\u2019s news across California and other internet media outlets. California State Senator Bob Archuleta (D-Montebello) has introduced legislation that will amend state law to allow drivers who fatally strike certain animals to retroactively apply for a wildlife salvage permit and consume the meat. Drivers of vehicles (and opportunistic non-drivers who come across roadkill) would be able to take advantage of the new law, which requires applying for a wildlife salvage permit, at no cost, within 24 hours of the collision. Existing law allows only state and local agencies to remove roadkill. The bill\u2019s text notes that each year \u201cit is estimated that over 20,000 deer alone are hit by motor vehicles on California\u2019s roadways\u201d and that \u201cthis translates into hundreds of thousands of pounds of healthy meat that could be utilized to feed those in need.\u201d<\/p>\n
The bill applies to certain species \u2013 deer, elk, antelope and wild pig \u2013 and does not cover any animal protected by the California Endangered Species Act. If the animal is injured but not killed by the collision, the bill allows the salvager to dispatch the animal \u201cin a safe, legal, and humane manner\u201d. \u00a0If passed, the law would go into effect in 2021.<\/p>\n
California is not a trailblazer in the area of roadkill legislation. Oregon and Washington both have laws that allow certain roadkill to be salvaged, as well as roughly 20 other states. Many states have tight restrictions on harvesting roadkill and limit the practice to licensed hunters. Oregon\u2019s law, which allows salvaging of deer and elk, went into effect in January of this year. Free permits (with online applications) must be obtained within 24 hours of salvage. Oregon requires the antlers and head of any salvaged animal to be surrendered to an Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife office within five business days of taking the carcass so as not to incentive the practice of selling body parts (such as antlers) to collectors.<\/p>\n
The state of Oregon, which offers a helpful link<\/a> to the key regulations for salvaging roadkill, warns people who take advantage of the law that they \u201cwill consume the meat at their own risk\u201d. The U.S. Department of Agriculture does not regulate roadkill.<\/p>\n Perhaps surprisingly, it has been reported that animal rights activists consider roadkill to be one of the most ethical and environmentally friendly meats. Advocates recognize that these animals were not purposefully raised for food and the meat would otherwise go to waste. California appears to be a leader in \u201cwildlife-vehicle conflict\u201d (WVC) which is studied and cataloged by the University of California\u2014Davis. For those who are curious, the UC\u2014Davis publicly-available website shows the \u201cWVC hotspots<\/a>\u201d along California\u2019s roadways.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by: Michelle Pardo The \u201cYou Kill It, You Grill It\u201d headline dominated yesterday\u2019s news across California and other internet media outlets. California State Senator Bob Archuleta (D-Montebello) has introduced legislation that will amend state law to allow drivers who fatally strike certain animals to retroactively apply for a wildlife salvage permit and consume the meat. … <\/p>\n