# Feeding fresh road kill



## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

The other day I found a rabbit on the side of a rural road that was killed shortly before. Still pretty much intact. I didn't have a bag with me, otherwise I would have taken it home to feed to Deja. At the same time I wondered if this is not going overboard. What do you do or what are your thoughts?


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## Stonevintage (Aug 26, 2014)

Check on the laws in your State. Most "road kills" are automatically the property of Fish & Game (just as live game falls under their jurisdiction). Many states impose a hefty fine if you are reported by someone picking up road kill. For the longest time, here, the road kills went to the county jail to feed the inmates. Someone put a stop to that.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

A few years ago a deer was hit by a car in the night ( I heard the impact). Next day, I went out there and saw that she was still alive but unconscious. I called the sheriff's office and the deputy shot her. I asked if I could use her meat and he said that he didn't know where the carcass would have went if I did.... At that time I didn't have the guts (no pun intended) and still regret not doing it.


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## Stonevintage (Aug 26, 2014)

wolfy dog said:


> A few years ago a deer was hit by a car in the night ( I heard the impact). Next day, I went out there and saw that she was still alive but unconscious. I called the sheriff's office and the deputy shot her. I asked if I could use her meat and he said that he didn't know where the carcass would have went if I did.... At that time I didn't have the guts (no pun intended) and still regret not doing it.


Probably would have been fine. Now (where I live) people usually report (cell phone) right away and the PD call goes right to Fish & Game. An officer will be called to stop traffic but F & G handles.

Here (North Idaho) is a hunters paradise. The terrain is wild and steep. Hunters cut away the best parts of the carcass and leave the rest to rot so they don't have to pack it out. Sad, as they usually only take the meat that will make good steaks and roasts leaving hundred pounds of meat to rot. 

With the road kills, F&G has "areas" in the boonies every few miles, away from the public eye that they dump the bodies. Hunters also use these sites to shoot any animal that comes for a meal as a "sport" - sick.


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## Girl_Loves_Hydraulics (Apr 13, 2014)

I've seen many a freshly hit deer get thrown in the back of a truck right away in Michigan...Though I see it normally more in the northern parts but have seen it happen around my way. Most of the time, they just sit on the road and rot


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Unless it dropped right in front of me, no thank you.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

Years ago I had a St Bernard(my sisters dog)that busted out of the house to get to a dead rabbit in the street. The dog literally turned into Cujo. I used a broom to move him and the rabbit. He ate the rabbit. Shortly after that he was rehomed(that was already in progress), he got really sick and died. From what I understood they connected that with the rabbit.


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

You all do realize that in some places road kill goes to food banks right?

If it's legal, and fresh it should be fine for your dogs. Be aware of disease problems in your area and if it's safe go for it.


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## CountryGirl01 (Dec 10, 2014)

I wouldn't feed raw road kill to my dog. But that's just me. Maybe cooked, but not raw.

You have got to pay attention to how damaged the carcass is and if the intestines, or any of the guts of the animal are touching the meat you intend to feed your dog. Not to mention there could be some sort of vehicle fluids on the carcass that you might not want your dog to ingest.


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## Cobe914 (Sep 29, 2014)

I personally wouldn't use it. While cooking would probably eliminate most of the bacteria and parasites, I'd be concerned about what the rabbit was eating. They're fairly liberal with the pesticides out here and if the rabbit was consuming that vegetation I'd be concerned about the toxins the meat would carry. Not to mention grasses along the sides of highways, poisons used to control mice or gophers, etc. 
Cobe caught a rabbit and would have happily consumed it, but I'm just a bit too paranoid.


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## Stonevintage (Aug 26, 2014)

I used to wonder if the guys up at the jail ever got alphabet soup, F O R D


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## Cobe914 (Sep 29, 2014)

Stonevintage said:


> I used to wonder if the guys up at the jail ever got alphabet soup, F O R D


Haha! ...Eww.


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## MamaofLEO (Aug 8, 2014)

Jax08 said:


> Unless it dropped right in front of me, no thank you.


...and only if it dropped in from of me with a full autopsy, I concur.


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