SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — When driving down any road, there is the occasional sad sight of a dead animal. If that happens to be in city limits, you can thank the City of Savannah Sanitation Department for clearing it.

This is not a job for the squeamish, as roadkill can be found in various stages of decomposition and decay.

“They prepare themselves by just mentally knowing when they’re going to do,” said Quhannah Andrews, senior sanitation director for the city of Savannah.

“We got a lot of seasoned people on staff that have actually doing it for a little while.”

Whether it be a deer, raccoon, possum, cat, dog, etc., once a call comes into the 311 number, they are on the way within 24 hours.

“They really don’t know what to expect, meaning the newer ones, but the seasoned ones know what to do,” said Andrews.

One of their trucks will arrive at the scene and with a mechanical claw, carefully scoop up the roadkill and debris and lightly place the animal in the container.

They then cart the contents over to the landfill off Dean Forest Road.

To report roadkill, call the 311 citizens hotline with the address and animal description.

According to 311, from Nov. 1, 2022, to Nov. 1, 2023, the department has answered 352 service requests for dead animal removal.

“They go out and they show up and show out every single day,” said Andrews. “Whenever they’re deployed, they are constant professionals. They’re on task, they’re on duty.”

To eat or not to eat: Can you eat roadkill?

Not all animals killed are salvageable but, The Fair Chase says that it is perfectly safe to eat roadkill as long as the meat is fresh and in good condition.

In the state of Georgia, you can harvest the animal as long as it is a native species, and if you come across a dead black bear, you must report it.

Other than those two requirements, you are free to harvest the animal. In states like Arkansas, California, Montana, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee and Washington, it’s fair game.