What's for dinner? Roadkill

Photo: The Canadian Press

Some folks in Oregon might not want to ask, when served an elk burger or a venison steak, where the meat came from. Under a roadkill bill passed overwhelmingly by the Legislature and signed by the governor, motorists who crash into the animals can now harvest the meat to eat.

And it's not as unusual as people might think. About 20 other states also allow people to take meat from animals killed by vehicles. Aficionados say roadkill can be high-quality, grass-fed grub.

"Eating roadkill is healthier for the consumer than meat laden with antibiotics, hormones and growth stimulants, as most meat is today," noted People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA.

"We are at or near the top of the list. We have a lot of roads and a lot of deer," said Travis Lau, spokesman for the Pennsylvania Game Commission, though he added the total number was uncertain.