I was raised my entire life in Georgia. But I have lived and visited almost every state along the East and Gulf coasts for the last 17 years. I recently moved back to Georgia in March of 1997, and I am deeply disturbed at the many dead animals I see on the roads of Georgia.

I have rarely encountered this problem in any other state and find that this is extreme here in Georgia. There is not one day that goes by that I do not see dead opossums, squirrels, birds, turtles, cats and dogs just lying dead on our highways and roads!

Are people so insensitive and thoughtless that they have to hit an animal that is merely crossing the road? Are we such a selfish species of life on this planet that we cannot take the time and brake for these creatures?

I am appalled at the great state of Georgia for not taking action to clean up the carcasses that lay on our roads sometimes for days on end. This is despicable and it disgusts and infuriates me to no end to see this happening to these animals. They, too, have been placed on this planet to live a life and to see their lives sometimes deliberately destroyed without remorse from offending drivers is the epitome of selfishness, forethought and malice!

I implore that everyone who drives to slow down and brake for these animals who are defenseless against a one-ton vehicle or greater. Take the time to get where you are going and use caution. Pretend that the small animal you see lying dead on the side of the road is a child if that is what it takes to get you to slow down.

And finally, I ask Georgia to please budget so that the animals that are killed on our roads are picked up and disposed of properly. Leaving dead animals on the road, in my opinion, is also a health issue. Decaying animals can cause disease, and that is something no one should have to live with! There are enough problems without us creating more by leaving these animals on the road after they have been killed.

I appreciate your time and for listening to my plea of mercy for these animals who are mercilessly killed everyday on Georgia roads.