Road kill

[ANDYRAF]

Does anyone know of any rules pertaining to the collection and use of roadkills. Went out with the dogs for a walk yesterday and we came across a badger carcase, young male, no damage to it's body and wondered at the time if I could have brought it home and used the skin. Seems such a waste otherwise to just move it to the side of the road.

 

[Cobweb]

As long as you don't kill it yourself road kill is fair game (as it were)

 

[ANDYRAF]

I was just unsure about protected species etc.

 

[andy_e]

I think you'd get a firm knock at your door if anyone spotted you with a badger pelt - I remember being told a story where someone had dyed rabbit pelts to look like other animals (badger included) and someone reported them - took away all of the skins for testing and eventually returned them. If it had been badger they may have faced prosecution.

If you reported your find to the RSPCA (or similar) and requested to keep the body, be honest about what you want it for, then they may well say yes - saves them dealing with it - though they may want to run tests for TB etc.

 

[Wayland]

Badger pelts, unless antique, are prohibited as I recall.

As such it doesn't matter how you come into possession you could still be prosecuted.

A shame really because I've often seen good road kill that would make nice pelts for my living history work but I daren't use them.

 

[ANDYRAF]

Are there any other species to be wary of, like polecats and mink.