Bill would allow cremation of roadkill

<p align="justify">Getting rid of roadkill can be a pungent problem for some Illinois communities, but legislation moving through the General Assembly aims to stop the stink.

<p align="justify">If Senate Bill 2157 eventually becomes law, communities and counties that operate facilities to cremate dead dogs and cats also could cremate roadkill, such as skunks, squirrels and opossums.

<p align="justify">Sen. Dale Risinger, R-Peoria, sponsored the legislation at the request of the city of Peoria, which operates an animal crematorium near Glen Oak Park. But the measure also would apply to other communities.

<p align="justify">The Senate voted 54-0 for the bill on Tuesday. It advances to the House of Representatives. To become law, it must pass there and be signed by the governor.

<p align="justify">At present, the Peoria animal crematorium's state permit authorizes it to dispose only of "companion animals" such as dogs and cats, said Lauren Malmberg, director of the Peoria Animal Welfare Shelter.

<p align="justify">If the shelter must dispose of other types of creatures, such as opossums, those carcasses wind up in a landfill.

<p align="justify">"We prefer mass cremation," she said. "You don't have rotting carcasses in the landfill. You don't have the chance for disease to be carried by the wildlife that roots through that."

<p align="justify">"It's just much cleaner this way, and at no cost to anyone," she added.

<p align="justify">There isn't a large amount of roadkill in Peoria, but vehicles sometimes hit raccoons and opossums, Risinger said. Dealing with the carcasses is a legitimate problem, though the issue also has a humorous side, he said.

<p align="justify">"Whenever you have that, they get bloated in the summertime and it really is kind of stinky. It's a stinky bill," he said, laughing.

<p align="justify">Adriana Colindres can be reached at (217) 782-6292 or adriana.colindres@sj-r.com.