Where does roadkill end up in Sacramento? Here’s what happens after you hit an animal
Live in Sacramento long enough, and you’ll probably see carcasses spread out in the middle of the road.
The few seconds you’re face-to-face with roadkill — whether in a car, on a bike or a stroll — can be unsettling; the image stamped in your brain lasts longer than your encounter with the lifeless creature, that is if you don’t look away.
That’s just the start of the journey the animal takes in its afterlife. Who picks it up — and where does it go next?
The Sacramento Bee consulted spokespeople Ryan Hinderman with the city of Sacramento Front Street Animal Shelter, Janna Haynes with Sacramento County and Dennis Keaton with the California Department of Transportation to understand the journey roadkill takes.
Here’s what we found:
Where does roadkill go in Sacramento?
The final destination of roadkill is dependent on where it was hit and whether it belonged to someone.
In an email, Hinderman said the city of Sacramento has received a total of 11,416 roadkill requests since 2019.
Nearly 2,300 requests were recorded this year.
A bulk of deceased animal removal requests are made by residents through the 311 call center, but it could take several days for an animal control officer to respond because of the size of the team and the number of high-priority calls.
An exception is made for roadkill causing a traffic hazard, the city stated.
Officers pick up animals within city limits located on public property (excluding highways). Services do not extend to rats or mice, which can be tossed in the trash in some neighborhoods.
Requests made about sick, injured, aggressive or neglected animals take higher priority.
Once roadkill is picked up by an officer, it is scanned for a microchip and entered into the city’s system. The animal is then placed in a freezer or fridge at Front Street Animal Shelter, depending on whether it has identification.
Unclaimed, deceased animals are sent to a cremation facility.
ROADKILL IN SACRAMENTO COUNTY
The process in Sacramento County is similar.
More than 14,600 roadkill requests have been recorded since 2019, according to county data.
In an email, Haynes said it could take anywhere between one day and one week for roadkill to be removed from county streets. Once picked up, dead animals are scanned for microchips and stored in a large walk-in cooler located in the rear of Sacramento County Bradshaw Animal Shelter.
Unclaimed animals are picked up twice a week and transported to a nearby pet cremation facility.
HIGHWAY CASUALTIES
According to data from the California Department of Transportation, also known as Caltrans, more than 200 roadkill cases have been recorded since January 2019.
Keaton said carcasses found on highways in Sacramento are taken to the local animal shelter — even deer. The department will attempt to reach the owner of a domesticated animal before transport.
Deer, dogs and cats have been the most common highway casualties over the last several years.
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