This is "Actual Factual Gwinnett," a regular column in which I, Amanda Coyne, answer reader questions about Gwinnett happenings and history. Enjoy!
Reader Lee asks:
Who is responsible for picking up roadkill? It seems like dead animals are left to rot on the roads.
That is something I’ve always wondered. Seeing dead wildlife on the side of the road, I still often wish someone would have already removed it, thus preventing me from falling into an emotional tailspin, wondering if that deer had kids or a husband or was the star of her recreational bocce ball league.
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In Gwinnett County, dead animals on or near a Gwinett County road are removed by Gwinnett County Animal Welfare and Enforcement workers, county spokesman Joe Sorenson said. You can actually report dead animals for removal by phone at 770-513-5700 or email DeadAnimalRemoval@gwinnettcounty.com.
Roadkill removal is typically handled by one part-time employee who works four days a week. In urgent situations, any animal welfare road officer could be assigned to remove a dead animal. If a dead animal is causing a road hazard, a police officer will clear the roadway.
Dead animals, including roadkill, are disposed of in the county animal crematory. The cremains are disposed of at a sanitary landfill site. If a dead animal could be a pet, it is scanned for a microchip and checked for any other ID or tags so an owner can be notified whenever possible.
There are two cases in which Gwinnett County will not remove a dead animal from the road. If the animal is on a state road, the Georgia Department of Transportation is responsible for removing it. If the dead animal is on private property and not at or near a roadside, the property owner is responsible for removing it.
While this information may not alleviate my roadkill anxieties likely traced back to an early viewing of “Bambi,” now you know who to contact if there’s a carcass that should be taken off the road.
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