The Inyo County Board of Supervisors approved correspondence for an act that will improve collaboration and documentation between agencies when accounting for wildlife deaths due to vehicles.
Senate bill 395, also known the Wildlife Safety act will provide better options for those who hit wildlife.
Currently, organizations such as CDFW, Caltrans, and CHP do not coloborate when it comes to documenting wildlife involved in accidents. With the new bill, the hope is that combined statistics will lead to less wild animal fatalities.
Another component of this measure will address what happens to a wounded or dead animal on the road. Currently, it is illegal to transport a dead wild animal. With the passing of this new law, animal carcasses can be moved and even donated.
The policy would allow for the meat of dead animals to be given to charities or prisons to feed people if it is deemed acceptable to consume. Some homeless shelters and prisons accept this type of meat for use in their pantry.
However, the meat is non-FDA approved, but depending on the injury, it can be deemed “safe for consumption.”
California’s Roadkill Bill was created by state senator Bob Archuleta, who said the measure would save “hundreds of thousands of pounds of healthy meat” from roadkill by using it to “feed those in need.”
Other states with similar laws include Oregon, Alaska, Colorado, Washington, North Dakota, Arizona, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Kansas, and Florida.