Recycling roadkill shows the entrepreneurial spirit

The world is made up of all kinds of people, including many unique personalities. This is a story of two of them, both from Saskatchewan: Jerry Armsworthy and Monty Burns.

Jerry calls himself a “roadside specialist,” in that he patrols the Trans Canada Highway outside Regina, collecting dead animals he finds on the side of the road.

He turns their skins and fur into fur garments, such as hats and mittens. Raccoons, foxes, badgers, coyotes; you kill something with your car anywhere near Regina and parts of it are likely to show up at crafts markets across the country. Jerry says he has customers all over Canada.

Some people may be against the wearing of fur, but Jerry doesn’t kill the animals, he just recycles them. And, the price is probably right also.

And then, there’s a guy named Monty Burns who has a company called Saskaboots.

Like Jerry, Monty puts roadkill to good use, turning them into footwear.

His slogan? “See my loafers? Former gophers.”

Do you remember the Super Dave Osborne television show?

Remember how, in many episodes, he would say a piece of his equipment contained “genuine Saskatchewan sealskin bindings?” I thought that show was brilliant.

Anyway, we salute Roadkill Jerry and Mister Saskaboots, two very resourceful gentlemen doing good things for the environment.

Fred Trainor is a retired broadcaster. He lives in Okanagan Falls. Email: fredtrainor@shaw.ca