Is It Illegal To Eat Roadkill?

By Amy E. Feldman

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - I'm sorry to tell you that you just missed the food festival Wild About Vermont last month, featuring wild food sources from the state, including the Roadkill Grill, which featured three animals injured or killed on highways in the vicinity. Remind me not to dine in Vermont. Makes you wonder: is it even legal to eat roadkill?

State Farm Insurance company estimates that there are over 1.2 million car collisions with deer every year, and while state laws differ, more and more states are passing laws that specifically allow people to take and eat roadkill, although most states do prohibit you from taking and eating dogs and cats that have been hit. Can you believe they have to be specific about that?  Even in states that allow you to eat roadkill, game wardens warn that even if you have a hunting license, roadkill is defined as the aftermath of an accident. It's not meant to promote the sport of stationwagon smashing.

There are a few states that prohibit the eating of roadkill. Like Texas. Surprised, high fallutin' Northerners?  Because laws vary by state and county and because meat can be contaminated (not to mentioned skid marked), check with animal control in the county where you find the roadkill before taking and/or consuming it.