Reutlingen animal shelter uses roadkill deer as dog food

The Reutlingen animal shelter in Germany has launched a unique pilot project in cooperation with the local district hunters' association to use deer killed in traffic accidents as food for shelter dogs.

Proponents, including the Baden-Württemberg State Hunting Association, view the initiative as a sustainable solution that reduces waste and lowers feed costs for the shelter. In Germany, approximately 200,000 deer die in traffic accidents annually.

However, animal welfare organizations, such as the German Animal Welfare Federation, have expressed caution. They note that for the project to be safe, the carcasses must be properly butchered, cooked to mitigate hygiene risks, and checked for diseases or signs of decay. Experts suggest that most standard animal shelters may lack the specialized facilities, such as adequate cooling and processing equipment, required to meet these high sanitary standards.