Always innovative in its programs to combat litter, Monroe County has attracted national attention with its hiring of a technician who specializes in removing dead deer and other animals. The county, which attracts some four million tourists annually, did not want visitors to be met with the sight of decaying animals on its highways. In the past the county has depended on pick-ups once or twice a week by PennDOT to clear their highways of roadkills. In August of 1999, the County hired Rick Keiper as a full-time roadkill technician to deal with the problem. According to Jacquelyn Hakim, director of the county's Vector Control office and coordinator of its litter control program, the county is the first in the state to have a full-time roadkill cleaner. To date he has picked up more than 700 deer and a variety of other dead animals. Keiper's oddest pick-up was a declawed serval, a long-legged African cat, which went to the Pennsylvania Game Commission. One of his complaints came from a woman who called several time to report that she had previously reported the need to pick up a dead deer; however, she never stated where! Creating the position was achieved through the joint efforts of former Rep. Joe Battisto, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the Pennsylvania Game Commission. For more information about the Monroe County Program, call Jackie Hakim at 570-420-3754.