Somebody has to do it. Today, on Labor Day, it's appropriate to think of workers like Sonny Bovat who toil at jobs few would embrace. Dead animals on the road can be dangerous to motorists, who often swerve instinctively to avoid them. Carcasses lure scavengers, which can pose additional traffic hazards. The corpses can also present health risks.
Scavengers can carry diseases into other populations.
A mangled animal is also a roadside eyesore in scenic Vermont. Bovat is spending this summer patrolling for roadkill and debris along the 400 miles of road in AOT's District 8, which is headquartered in St. Albans and stretches north from Milton to Canada, west to Alburg and east toward Johnson and Eden. In fact, most AOT employees, even supervisors and foremen, are required to pick up dead animals smaller than deer if they see them within view of drivers. Some guys get sick, but most get used to it and try not to think about that part of their job, said Andrew Masson, who has been with AOT more than 30 years. It is just an unpleasant fringe duty that comes with an otherwise good job, AOT employees say.